


Jettisoned

by JForward



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Alcohol, Awkward Flirting, Displacement, Dragons, Drinking, Eventual Smut, Fanart, Fantasy, Flirting, Frank discussions of gender, Gen, LGBTQ Character, Magic, Mentions of Drowning, Nonbinary Character, Nonbinary Doctor (Doctor Who), Panic Attacks, Questionable psuedoscience, Self-Doubt, Transformation, What is a gender? We just don't know, dragons with PTSD, gay feelings guys, these tags will grow as the fic does, who could imagine
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-13
Updated: 2020-12-02
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:22:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 23,377
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26995849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JForward/pseuds/JForward
Summary: "Have y'seen this?" the Doctor was shaking a newspaper in Graham's face.THE BEAST OF SHEFFIELD AT LARGE? declared the title, and Graham raised his eyebrows at her.// Also known as, the Doctor finds a dragon hiding in Sheffield and, of course, befriends it.
Comments: 7
Kudos: 44





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! So, this is a fic I started a long time ago but was too scared to post because its going to heavily feature an OC.
> 
> But anyway, this is ... probably gonna be a bit of a long one. If you like a bit of high fantasy, dragons, shameless flirting etc ... it's fun. Stay with me.

  
"Have y'seen this?" the Doctor was shaking a newspaper in Graham's face. He let out a deep sigh from the base of his chest, lowering his sandwich. Having the Doctor around his place could get seriously annoying, really, not to mention the fact she'd dismanted his microwave and his toaster in order to try to make - something. He didn't know what it was she was trying to make. She'd explained it, but the words just made absolutely no sense. She had taken over his kitchen table, too, a half-built machine laying across it, but apparently she'd decided to take a break. 

"It's a newspaper." he said, dryly, "They keep getting delivered. Just the local rag, honestly. Have it if you want -"  
"No! No, no, no." she flopped onto the sofa next to him, holding the front page up to his face again. "Look, look at this," she tapped the story that was flared across it.  
 **THE BEAST OF SHEFFIELD AT LARGE?** declared the title, and Graham raised his eyebrows at her. She held it back up to her own face, wiggling a little in apparent excitement.  
"It says there's been some kinda monster flyin' around!" she beamed, "Terrorizin' Sheffield. Weird, don't remember there bein' any monsters in this time period ..." she mused.

"Nah, Doc, this is a rag." he said, shaking his head, "It's all a bunch of rubbish. There's no real news so they just make stuff up. Probably just someone saw a cat." he sighed. But she shook the paper again, pointing at a very blurred and black and white picture of a shadow flying over a street lamp. It was barely visible but looked almost like an enormous bat.   
"That look made up t'you?" she asked, beaming.  
"You ever heard of photoshop, Doc?" he sighed. "What are you doing with my table, can I have it back yet?"  
"Ah, I need to run some processes first before I can use it." she admitted, dropping the paper a little and frowning at the half-built machine on the table.

"Run some ..?"  
"Basically, I've built a displacement unit, but it needs to run through a full displacement cycle before I can incorporate it into the TARDIS systems. Twenty-four hours. I guess I'm spendin' the night!" she beamed. "Then we can grab Ryan and Yaz and get goin' again." this followed a shrug. Graham sighed, and frowned thoughtfully.  
"Right, then." he got up. "It's seven o'clock, that's late enough. Let's go out." he moved away to grab his jacket. "Come on, Doc, we're goin' for a drink." he smiled at her. "Gotta show you my place, right?"

"Ah, I don't drink." she said, with a shrug.  
"You don't have to have alcohol, Doc." he said, rolling his eyes, "I'll get you an orange juice. Come on. I ain't sittin' around here all night with you drivin' me nuts, I want a pint." she smiled at him, after a moment's hesitation.  
"Can we invite Ryan and Yaz?" she asked, brightly.  
"Sure, I'll text 'em." he told her, getting his phone out and doing just that. Then he opened the door, waiting for her to join him, stepping out into the cool Sheffield street.

The Doctor popped out next to him and wandered a way down the street, peering at a tree as he locked up and then finally fell into step. They walked through a pleasant evening, warm with a light breeze, the Doctor's hands in her pockets as the wind blew her coat out around her ankles. Graham did catch himself wondering if she'd picked it for only the dramatic movement it had, but he never mentioned it. It would be the sort of thing she would do, he figured, with a hint of a smile as they headed to the pub.

Yaz and Ryan were already waiting outside when they got there, Yaz in a light summer blouse with little feathers detailed on it, Ryan in a comfy tee-shirt and jeans.  
"Hi Fam!" the Doctor said, brightly, ignoring the way that Ryan rolled his eyes at her comment. "How're you doing?"  
"Yeah, good." Ryan nodded and smiled right back, as Yaz agreed. "What's goin' on with that machine you were making?"  
"Just needs twenty-four hours and we'll be good to go again." the Doctor said, with a grin. 

"Cool." Yaz grinned, and they headed into the bar. It was your pretty standard English pub, really, all old wood, rickety tables and mismatched chairs, hideous carpet and a low chatter between the patrons. It wasn't crazy busy, as it was a Tuesday; a few people were eating meals but most people just had drinks and snacks. They headed towards a booth near the TV, which was playing some kind of sports-ball game, catching the Doctor's attention. Yaz sat on one side, and the Doctor perched next to her. Ryan slid in the other side, but Graham hadn't sat yet.  
"What does everyone want? My round." he said, lightly, with a smile.  
"Orange juice for me." Yaz grinned.  
"Just a pint." Ryan said.  
"Doc?" Graham asked, drawing her attention from the TV.  
"Ooh, uh, I'll just have a lemonade." she said, brightly, "Or - or - oh, what's it called?" she frowned, shutting her eyes and thinking, "The, uh, Calmarian Aspertine?"  
"Don't think that's an Earth thing, Doc." Graham chuckled, shaking his head.  
"It's like - cola, with a splash of grenadine and a cherry."  
"Roy Rogers." Yaz commented. "Used to have them all the time."

"Alright, I'll get you that." he said, rolling his eyes and leaving them at the table. Yaz and Ryan chattered quietly. The Doctor had spotted another newspaper on the sticky table, picking it up and peering at the title. It was the same newspaper as from the house.  
"Did y'guys see this?" she asked, interrupting Yaz and Ryan, who turned to look at her with confusion in their eyes. Yaz reached out to take the paper from her.   
"Oh, this is trash." she shook her head, "They just post rubbish, Doctor."  
"Yeah, only old racist idiots read that." Ryan agreed. The Doctor wrinkled her nose a little, shaking her head. 

"No, look, I'm gettin' a real vibe from it." she said, quickly. She glanced around, taking in the people around her - this area of the pub was pretty quiet. There was an old geezer two booths away nursing a pint, a youngish looking person sat at the bar with some kind of shot of strong alcohol, and the barmaid moving around. Most of the activity seemed to be at the other side of the bar around the slot machine, as well as a darts board, most of the young people there chattering and laughing and playing.

"My vibes are good, you know I know what I'm talkin' about!" the Doctor insisted. "We should go see if we can find anythin'!"  
"How long are you grounded?" Yaz asked, a little amused, "Is this what happens when you have to sit still for a couple hours?"  
"Oi!" she objected, "You know my instincts are good." Graham had returned with a tray, putting down their drinks. Hers had a little cocktail umbrella to hold it's cherry, and she beamed. "Graham, tell them my instincts are good!"  
"The instincts that make you run _towards_ scary monsters?" he said, flopping into his seat. She gave an offended gasp, covering her chest with a hand.

He rolled his eyes, taking a satisfied sip of his pint and letting out a sigh. The Doctor was still staring at her newspaper.   
"It says here that it was sighted two nights ago." she said, looking between them. "At a fair? There's a fair here?" she asked, brightly.   
"Oh, yeah, they do it by the river." Yaz said, nodding, "Last couple years."  
"Apparently some kid almost drowned too." the Doctor mused, looking at the paper, "Says this monster was seen just after that..." she grinned. "I gotta find it!" she said, quickly, "Gotta go look -"  
"Doctor, sit down." Graham sighed, "You're not chasin' off after some imaginary monster -"  
"Oh, come on! I bet I can find it!"  
"And what're you gonna do if you find it?" Ryan asked, amused, "Put it in an alien zoo somewhere?"

The Doctor's response was lost. There was a loud clatter next to them, all of their heads moving immediately. Spilled cocktail spread over the countertop, there was a flicker of movement as the young person in jeans shot towards the doorway. As they went, the Doctor saw a flash of glimmering black - like a tail - and then she was gone in pursuit, leaving the fam behind in stunned disbelief. The door slammed, and for a moment, there was quiet.  
"Shit, let's go!" Yaz exclaimed, lunging after her.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, thank you all for your support, I feel a lot better.  
> Some of this fic will have, dun dun dunn... fanart, oh dang. prepare for dragons.

  
There it was - ahead of her. Hulking, and huge, like black but when it shot past the street lights on the old Sheffield street there was a glimmer like the shimmer on top of an oil slick. She caught sight of that tail again, flickering in front of her, heading into the darker area of the streets. It was pretty quiet out, they were away from the party area of town - plus it wasn't exactly a nightclub kind of night. Her feet pounded against the ground as she ran, hazel eyes searching. Whipping out her sonic, she scanned the area, mind running a thousand miles a minute.

Had to be alien, surely. Always happened around her. The size of it, the build, the colour - but she couldn't quite figure where it had come from. The sonic chirped and she took a breath to look at it; a rough idea of the size but no confirmation of just what it was. She frowned, looking around, trying to figure ... holding the sonic out, she shifted it to scan for life instead, whirring softly. The orange light filled the space, reflecting off wet patches on the ground from an earlier rainfall. The shimmer of the streetlamps was less down here, darkness illuminated by the whirring tool.

"Come on, where are you, where did you go?" she whispered, turning slowly, before she heard a loud bang - metal striking something solid. Honing in on the sound, she released the sonic and ran again, excitement thrumming in her veins. Friends might find it infuriating just how much this life seemed to chase her, but for the Doctor, this was a thrill. Something incredible was happening, and she was still processing it. The young person at the bar had run, and next thing she knew she was chasing a monster -

 _No they're gonna find me they're gonna kill me_ \- she gasped in pain, clutching her head. The telepathic blast was overwhelmingly loud, genderless and deep. The words kept coming, an insurmountable, painful flood she was struggling to push through. Staggering on, she forced herself to move. Eyes were open, if narrowed, letting out a rough noise in her throat. Fear. It was enough to drown anyone, the mind that was shoving it out into the world - just her bad luck to have a mind that was sensitive to such cries. Shaking her head hard, erecting flimsy barriers, she kept moving.

"Where are you?" she whispered, and finally caught sight of a flicker again. The rusty metal of a large bin caught her eyes, the smell of old refuse from the nearby shops. But the mental shouting was getting louder, and now the moon was emerging from high above them. There was that gilding again, and she just about made out the shape in front of her; bigger than a horse, even if they were hulking down, pressing back into the corner against the bricks. She caught her breath, eyes widening. Oh, wow.

"You're beautiful." she whispered, "Oh, look at you. Gorgeous." the mental wave calmed a little as she made the connection. "I can hear you. I can hear you." she whispered, holding her hands out as if in surrender. This creature was intelligent. It moved just a little, uncurling a touch; the moon gilded curling rams horns, a hint of finlike ears, a second set of horns that swept straight back from the top of it's head. Scales deep black but iridescent - eyes yellow, vibrant, the pupils just tiny slits. "It's okay. It's okay. I promise. Not going to hurt you." she repeated. "I'm the Doctor. I don't think you're meant to be here."

Now she could think without that awful screaming in her head. There was still a wave of fear rolling from it, but the beast in front of her, scaled, horned, and now she saw _winged_ \- that was unmistakable intelligence.  
 _'How can you hear me? Humans can never hear me.'_  
"Not human." she whispered, smiling still. She wasn't afraid. There was no _reason_ to be afraid, not when she was being spoken to. "Don't worry. I'm not gonna hurt you."

It was clear her words were helping, at the very least, although there was still enough fear to drown anyone. The silent streets around them made everything that much louder. Her sensitive hearing could detected the deep breathing of enormous lungs as the beast in front of her recovered from their desperate run. They were still hulked down, legs drawn in tight, and almost invisible in the low light. That shimmer of scales was the only things really giving her an idea of the scale of what she was looking at, and the mind she could feel gently brushing up against hers.

"I get the feeling you're not human, either," she continued, eyes sparkling in the low light, rambling to cover up the latent worry she felt. There was no doubt that this creature was more than capable of hurting her, if they really wanted to, but she wasn't going to let that stop her. Smart enough to communicate, even if they shoved their words into her head so hard that she was starting to get a headache. "Nothin' wrong with that! Like I said. I'm not either. Just stuck here for a night whilst I do some repairs on my ship. Went for a drink with my mates." she said, hands held out safely in front of her. She could see the gentle shake in their body, the rattle of scales...

Drawing back, trying to get away from her. She stilled, realising that pushing them into the corner more was a bad idea. There was a scraping - in the darkness, there was a tail moving, starting to whip. The agitation reminded her of a cat, twitching, erratic and afraid. Every movement under the glinting of the moon and the dingy streetlamps just out of sight sent ripples of irridescence, and it really was quite beautiful, but it made it so clear where the tail was moving -   
"Hey. Hey. It's okay. It's okay, I promise. Can you talk to me? Tell me why you ran?" she asked, the connection clicking. Whoever the person at the bar was, this was them - "How you ended up like this? Or started out like -"

_WHAM._

She jumped, dropping her sonic with a clatter. A snarl rumbled in her chest, making her ribs vibrate, as they reared - deadly claws glinting just as brightly. She stumbled backwards, holding up her hands.   
"It's okay! It's okay! Don't panic! Your tail hit the bins." she gestured at the rusty, dirty metal square off to one side, barely visible. "That's all. Don't worry. You're safe." Safe might be a little questionable, but - "I'll keep you safe, okay? I promise. I'm going to help. My name's the Doctor, and I help people. Especially lost people, scared people, who think they don't belong. I'll help you, but y'need to calm down." she insisted.

They dropped down again, and the trembles were worse. Her mental barriers strengthened, the feeling of fear threatening to drown her.   
"Can y'tell me your name?" she asked. The question hung in the air for a few long breaths.  
 _'Jet. It's ... Jet.'_  
"Oh, I like it. Suits ya." she said, scooping up her sonic and putting it in her pocket. "Like I said, I'm the Doctor." she smiled as brightly as she could. "I'd love to see you properly, Jet. You wanna move forward for me? Just a bit? Stop hiding in the corner? It's just me." her sharp ears picked up on the sound of footsteps, not super close but not fair, running through the slightly damp streets. The familiar gaits... 

"I'm here with my fam. My - friends. You saw us, at the bar, didn't you?"  
'Yes.' they nodded, and the movement was so strangely human, with their heavily horned head, that the Doctor smiled just a little wider. ' _The old man, the tall guy and the girl with the long hair._ ' their head canted just slightly to the side, and the fear that was hammering in her head was starting to ease back. _'Why did you follow me?'_  
"Why did you run?" she tried not to make her voice confrontational. "You can't control this, can you?" she added, softening her voice again.  
' _I.._.' there was a pause, the sound of heavy breathing for a moment, ' _You were talking about me ...'_  
"Aha!" she punched the air, then regretted it as they jolted back. "Whoa, sorry, hey, sorry. I just - I knew it was real! My vibes were right." she nodded. "Listen, hey, Jet, there's - my friends are coming. You can hear them as well as me, I bet." she said, "They're good people, too, I promise -"

" _Doctor_!" the distant call reached her ears, _"Doctor, where did you go?"_ Jet recoiled. The rumble in their chest was deep, pale teeth flashing as they growled.   
"Hey, it's okay! Jet, it's -"  
"Doctor!" the sound of feet running towards them made her turn, backing out of the alleyway and into the street, seeing the familiar shape. She held up her hands for them to stop, but it was too late -   
The sound of claws scrabbling into brick reached her ears. Head snapping around, the immense dark shape was up on top of the wall.

Yaz, Graham and Ryan came to a stop as the shape of the dragon was silhouetted for a breath, immense wings opening. The moon shone through, casting them in an almost purple light and then - swept down, the power of the push sending rubbish flying at them.  
"Jet! Come back!" the Doctor cried out, but they were gone into the sky, flying shakily up and away. She stilled, as the fam came to a stop around her, Ryan letting out a long, low whistle.

"All I wanted was a pint." Graham groaned, as Yaz put a hand on his shoulder. "One night! Just one night..." but the Doctor didn't even look around, as Ryan and Yaz chuckled, her eyes fixed on the empty spot in the dark sky.


	3. Chapter 3

  
"You alright?" Yaz put her hand on the Doctor's shoulder, and the alien started, turning to look at her with uncertain eyes before she hitched a smile back into place.  
"Told you I was right." she said, beaming, tilting her head back a little in an irrevocably smug pose. Yaz sighed, rolling her eyes, but settled into an easy grin too.  
"Alright, alright, no one likes a sore winner." she said, "You found the beast of Sheffield."   
"Is this somethin' we need to be worried about?" Ryan asked, raising his eyebrows, "I mean, that thing were huge. Was it an alien?"   
"Not sure." she murmured, frowning, "Might be. Seemed surprised enough that I'm not human, but communicated telepathically... not an animal."  
"You spoke to it?" Graham asked, "You just spoke to a - a - whatever that was?"

"Their name is Jet." she said, lightly, "And they were absolutely terrified, Graham. Near enough smashed my brain down with their yelling."  
"I didn't hear anything."  
"You wouldn't! Humans. Telepathic as a rock. Well, less-so if you consider the mind reading rocks on Granisite Five." she said, "So you're less telepathic than a rock. Honestly."  
"Oi." Graham objected, "Nothin' wrong with not being, uh, telepathic."  
"Means y'can read minds, Graham." Yaz supplied. His eyes widened just a touch, head turning to look at the Doctor more clearly. She was looking back in the direction the dragon had flown, eyes distant.

"Doc, you can read my mind?" he asked, full of fear.  
"What? Oh, no. Not humans. Not without choosing to do so. I'd need to touch you." she explained, wiggling a hand in his direction. "And then I'd need to choose to step into your mind. Don't worry." she smiled, distantly, "Not much of a mind-invader, me."  
"Right, well, I doubt our drinks are still there..."  
"I'm freezin'." Ryan supplied. "Let's go back to the bar."  
"You guys go ahead." The Doctor said, "I'm gonna head back to the TARDIS. Do some work. I'll see you later." she stepped away from them with a small smile, leaving the fam looking uncertain and almost disappointed as she walked off at a smart clip down the cobbles.

Graham's house really wasn't far, and she found her way there with little trouble. The city was so different when it was dark, she mused, but couldn't shake the way her thoughts kept going back to the terrified creature. She was sure they weren't a threat, not with that overwhelming fear... she had to find them. She had to find out more. Buzzing the door with her sonic, she headed inside, slipping into the TARDIS without a thought. A lot of it was powered down so that the new machine could cycle and intergrate with the systems, but the scanner was still up. Pulling the smokescreen towards herself, she frowned as she tapped something into the keyboard, looking at the map of Sheffield it was showing.

"This would be easier if I knew what you were." she murmured, thinking hard about the best way to go about this. "Alright..." she keyed in a search for any alien presences. The TARDIS hummed as it scanned the local area, but bleeped - nothing. "Well, that's not possible." she ran it again, with the same response. "Why are you being so stubborn about this?" she snapped, at the console, getting an annoyed beep and a burst of steam. Stepping back, she waved away the steam quickly. "Alright! Alright! Sorry! But - they aren't human." she whispered, sitting back against the console, tapping her sonic on her lip. "So how come you can't see them?"

The TARDIS whirred at her, the noise a comforting backdrop as she contemplated the smokescreen.   
"They _were_ human." she mused. "In the bar. So..." she moved away, starting to pace, "They ran. We were talking, and they ran, and they were already changing then. Maybe they were human?" she shook her head, turning back to the screen. "Could have started out as human, that's why you can't see them, because you'd still see them as human... or if they turned back? Maybe they turned back. Shapeshifter?" her feet clonked on the metal floor, heavy boots, "What d'you - oh. Right. At the bar." she rubbed at her jaw. 

"Right." she straightened up, "Just a short - ah! No." damnit, they couldn't fly. She stepped out of the door again, listening - no sign of the fam yet, must still be at the bar. She set off at a jog, the dark Sheffield streets slipping past like nothing, finding herself back at the pub. There they were, at the same table they'd been at earlier. Her drink, she noticed, was still there, cocktail umbrella and all. She appeared with a grin, Ryan spotting her first.  
"You came back." he said, with a surprised grin, "Y'get bored already, Doctor?"  
"I need your help." she said, brightly, causing Yaz and Graham to twist around and look up at her. At least Yaz seemed pleased that she was there, although Graham was looking mournfully at the last bit of his beer, clearly sensing that it was about to be abandoned for good.

"What's up?" Yaz asked, immediately paying attention, perking up. She finished her own drink and got to her feet.   
"We need to go back to where we saw Jet. I want to see if they left any traces behind."  
"What kinda trace?" Yaz enquired, "What d'you need?"  
"Anything physical. A scale, maybe, something like that." she told them, "I'm trying to track them down, but the TARDIS couldn't find them." 

Graham gave a long suffering sigh, taking his beer and draining it, leaving the glass on the table.   
"Alright, let's go." the Doctor beamed, hopping on her heels as they got up and left the pub. She paused by the seat the human Jet had been sat at, peering, looking for any sign, but apparently it had already been cleared away. As they walked down the cold, dark cobbled streets, Yaz shivered, drawing her leather jacket a little tighter around herself. She was used to patrolling these streets, but that was wearing a bulky jacket and with a colleague ... she didn't doubt the Doctor could handle any situation that occurred, but despite that, it was still a little unnerving.

"How can you even tell where you went?" Ryan asked, shaking his head, "All looks the same to me."  
"I have an excellent sense of direction." The Doctor responded, leading them, peering down alleys. Yaz tugged out her phone, switching on the torch, lighting the damp cobbles. Ryan and Graham mimicked her, although the older had to have Ryan's help to figure it out.  
"Aha! This is the one." the Doctor darted down an alley. The stink of the old rusted bin in the corner made Yaz wrinkle her nose, but she tolerated it. The low whirring of the sonic acted as a torch for the Doctor as they peered, scouting the entire alley. It didn't help that there were pieces of mouldy food, rotting receipts and far worse things scattered around.

Graham was cold, wet and stinky. He wanted nothing more than to go home and shower, but the Doctor was determined.  
"C'mon, Doc, we must've been out here an hour." he whined.   
"It's been fifteen minutes, Graham." Yaz responded, rolling her eyes.   
"Yeah, alright, but it's a small alley, Yaz, what are the chances they even left anything?" he pointed out. "If we've been searching this long -"  
"Aha!" the Doctor was crouching in the corner by the bin, jumping up now, the edges of her coat filthy. In her fingertips, so dark it was almost invisible, was a single scale.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you anyone who's engaging w this fic at all! I love you folks, making me feel my writing is worthwhile.
> 
> I'm happy for any feedback, I have a lot planned out for this fic and Jet's story, so knowing people are interested in great.


	4. Chapter 4

  
"What're you gonna do?" Yaz was leaning against a pillar, watching her work. Ryan had seated himself on the dias step, one arm resting on a tented leg, holding his phone. Graham was in the house, still, puttering around; the TARDIS doors hung open so that they were still in contact. The Doctor was hunched over, putting the scale in a little dish, attaching wires from the TARDIS console to it. She turned to the screen, the smoke billowing, as the information began to appear.

"So I'm locating their DNA, essentially," the Doctor explained, "The TARDIS will take all the base genetic information from the scale, and track anything in this area that matches the signature."  
"So you're trackin' them down?" Ryan asked, and the Doctor nodded, blonde hair falling around her face as the little dot appeared on the screen. "What're you gonna do with them?"  
"What?" the Doctor glanced around.  
"Ryan has a point." Yaz commented, eyebrows quirking up, "Y'gonna do your Doctor thing, talk them into leavin'? Do you think they're a threat?"  
The Doctor straightened, turning and leaning her hips against the console, arms folding over her chest and pouting.

"Well... no." she sighed. "I'm not even sure what they are. I did a scan for alien life, and they didn't show up."  
"How can that not be an alien?" Ryan asked, leaning towards her a little, "That definitely weren't no human I've seen."  
"I've encountered monstrous humans before. One that experimented on himself. He was trying to become immortal, but he became - essentially another form of humanity. And he couldn't stop himself from changing..."  
"Do you think they're human, then?" Yaz jumped in. "Because you said they aren't dangerous."

"Intelligent. But scared. And fear can make you do the most foolish things. So many awful things have been done through fear, and the results ..." the Doctor trailed off.   
"So, what? You track 'em down, just keep an eye on them?" Yaz suggested. "Make sure they're not going off to kill people? What - what _were_ they, anyway?"  
"Not sure. Didn't get a good look."  
Graham broke the moment by entering with a tray of cups of tea, wearing his comfortable pj's and a robe.   
"Here we go." he handed out the cups, everyone holding them warmly, the Doctor smiling as she took her sugar laden tea. She took a long sip of it.

"I want to help 'em." she said, after a few quiet moments had passed. "And find out what's goin' on. Find out how they've ended up being that - whatever they are, but the TARDIS still seeing them as a human. Maybe I can help fix them, if they want to be fixed..." she nodded. "Tell you what, fam, I'm gonna leave you guys here, hop off and find Jet, and then I'll get back for you?"  
Yaz and Ryan shared a glance, and lowered their tea.   
"Well, uh ... is that a good idea, Doctor?" Yaz queried. "Maybe we should just leave 'em be for now? If they were that scared..."  
"We don't want you gettin' hurt." Ryan added, uncertainly.

"I can handle myself, thank you!" the Doctor objected.   
"I'm gonna be honest, Doc, I think I'm gonna definitely take this opportunity to go get a kip." Graham admitted, getting to his feet, "See ya tomorrow, love." he left, and Yaz shook her head.   
"I still think we should come with you. Just in case -"   
"I'll be _fine_." she insisted, "They won't hurt me. I know they won't hurt me." Yaz and Ryan sighed, but gave in, getting to their feet.

"Alright, Doctor. We'll see you tomorrow?" she asked, and the Doctor nodded, already putting in co-ordinates, tracking the dot. Ryan and Yaz left together, shutting the door behind themselves, and for a breath there was silence.

"Right. Let's go." she turned a few dials, hitting a few buttons. Not exactly on the co-ordinates - she didn't want to land on them. She was planning on landing a few streets away, as the dot wasn't moving, and maybe - maybe this was a bad idea but her curiousity was burning like a sun in her chest and she had to find out what was going on. The TARDIS whined and scraped. She piloted almost instinctively after so long, knowing just what to do, feeling the kind of freedom she could only feel when she was in control of the TARDIS. 

The landing was surprisingly smooth, and she patted the console fondly before shooting to the doors, pulling them open. Parked down an alley, cloaked out of sight, she knew it was the same night and not long after she had left. The TARDIS didn't like doing these short hops, but she had been well behaved for this one.   
"Right. Let's get an answer." she murmured, twisting her sonic. It beeped softly, tracking from the data on the TARDIS, and she found herself stood outside of a brightly lit building. What on Earth..? 

Pounding music filled the air. Neon lights were flashing, and there were plenty more people here than where they had been before. She knew the word, but it was slipping away from her ... lit up in bright lights, the word _BEAM_ shone out. A couple of strong looking guys in black shirts stood on the door, but there was no queue, so maybe it wasn't too busy ... she made her way over, looking at the scowling bouncers.   
"Hey." she grinned.  
"You got ID?" one of them asked, taking her in, raising his brows. She frowned.  
"Oh, uh, yeah, here.." she scrambled in her pocket, fingers finding the psychic paper. She held it up with a bright smile, and then he stepped aside, opening the door for her.

She near enough bounced in, already overwashed with the smell of alcohol and sweaty people. There was music playing, people moving around a dance floor, an area somehow dark and yet lit in vivid lights at the same time. Her eyes danced around, searching for someone who looked like they might be a monster in their spare time ... tucking away the paper, she plucked out the sonic. It beeped softly, barely audible under the pounding music, and she found herself stood at the bar next to someone with soft curls of gingery-blonde hair and pale skin, staring down into a glass of clear liquid. 

A grin stretched her lips as she dropped into the seat next to them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again for supporting my oc-based shenanigans ehe.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for missing the upload last night guys I wasn't able to get any writing done!

  
"So, are you a shapeshifter?" they jolted, violently, almost spilling the drink, hands tightening on it. Pale eyes met hers, and the edges were shifting yellow. She acted instinctively, reaching out a hand, resting it on theirs. Her mind reached out, finding a much more responsive mind than a human, although it was far duller than when they were shifted earlier.  
"Hey. Hey, focus. Breathe, Jet." she ordered, her voice soft. She could feel it, the fear - and now with a new level. Earlier, they had been afraid of her, but there was very much a layer of fear of transforming. So they didn't have control of it.

"You're not going to change. I'm going to help you."  
"How did you find me?" the voice wasn't what she expected. Not dissimilar to the earlier body's tone, but much quieter and softer, of course, without the depth. Their pupils were tiny, staring at her, throat bobbing. It was almost striking how normal they looked - jeans, a tee, black boots... and young. Maybe early twenties, with that shock of curly hair, flopping almost over their eye.

"I've got some skills." she said, lightly, "Why are y'here?" she couldn't help the confusion in her tone, lifting her brows and tilting her head towards them, "You were in the pub earlier..."   
"I needed a drink." they mumbled. "They don't - hit me very well, but -"  
"Because you're not human." she murmured. They swallowed back the shot, hissing between their teeth for a moment.   
"I'm human." they responded, a little sharply, now. "Look at me. Human. Gave up - so much to be human." they rubbed at their cheek, shaking their head again.

"Okay. Well. Maybe I can help with that." she insisted. "I told you, my name is the Doctor - I help people. I help fix things." she beamed at them. "I can help with this."   
They jerked away from her, shaking her hand off, hunching their shoulders as they stood. She got up with them, not willing to leave, not just yet.   
"What d'you mean you - whoa!" she jolted forward as they swayed on their feet, struggling for just a moment. "Y'okay? Too much to drink?" she frowned. "No, that's not it, is it?"  
"Go away." Jet growled, shaking their head again.  
"The transformation. It took too much from you." she realised. "You need to eat something."  
"I'm fine!" they were moving quickly, but not quickly enough to avoid a determined Doctor.

"Very familiar with that certain turn of phrase, cheers, you can't shake me off that easy." they slipped through the dancing people, and she followed, up the stairs and out into the cold street. Their breath misted as they moved past the bouncers. She could see the shake in their shoulders, wondering if they were going to shift again - coat flaring as she ran up to them. They were a couple inches taller, but she'd long since gotten used to being under six foot, and it had never offended her before.

"You don't want to change again." she insisted, seeing them hesitate, "I can feel you, in my head. Trying to keep control. So why won't you accept help?"  
"The last person who helped me screwed me over." Jet snapped. "They fucked up my deal, and now I'm changing back, and -" they broke off, exhaling sharply. "I don't need your help. Thanks, no thanks. Go away." they insisted.   
She cursed under her breath in Gallifreyan, reaching up to rub a hand through her hair, gripping at the strands in frustration. 

When they were about a dozen feet away, they paused, turning to look at her. She stood in the middle of the street, coat now limp around her ankles, still staring at them.   
"What are you?" she leant back a little at the question. "I've been here for over a year, and you're - the first person that could ever talk to me like that - you told me you weren't human..."  
"I'm not human." she responded. "I'm not from this planet. I travel a lot. I've seen - more than you could imagine, Jet." she told them, risking a step forward. "So, an alien, I guess. Only you're not from here, either, are you? And yet my ship thinks you're human..."

"No. I'm not from here." they leant back against the wall, and she could see the paleness in their features. Concern bubbled in her chest again. She began to dig in her pockets, sure she had - aha! She tugged out a - slightly crushed - packet of custard creams, thrusting it towards them. They gave the biscuits a look of disgust but, seeing as she wasn't going to back down, accepted them. After a moment they shoved one into their mouth, crunching on it, and almost immediately looked at least a little brighter. That was a success in her eyes, despite her concern.

"I don't want to shift." they said, softly, finally, "Because I don't want to be - locked away. Caged like an animal. I'm meant to be human. The story is - it's long and complicated and I can't - explain all of it. You wouldn't understand." they muttered.  
"Try me." she responded, "I understand more than you could imagine, Jet, and if you let me, I promise I can help you." she softened her tone, not moving her eyes.  
"Fine." they sighed. "But I'm getting a kebab." they shoved the biscuits back into her hands and started to walk, shoulders hunched and hands in their pockets. They didn't look to see if she was following.

Dropping the biscuits back into a deep pocket, the Doctor fell into an easy step alongside them, almost bouncing in her curiosity.  
"So... what are you?" she asked, when Jet wasn't forthcoming. They scowled.   
"Dragon." they grumbled.  
"You're a dragon?" she gasped, eyes widening, mouth forming a perfect 'o'. "Of course! So, you're a shapeshifter? Or you've _become_ a shapeshifter? I don't know any draconic shapeshifting species, although some of them are remarkably good at glamours, but none come to mind. So you were a human and you became a shapeshifter? Or -"  
"I was... a dragon." they shook their head. 

She was all so pleased by it, and could see just how uncomfortable they were with admitting anything to her. The pale eyes kept flickering in her direction and then away, but the whole idea of them being a dragon that could become a human, well, that was fascinating -  
"But then why are you scared?" she queried, "If that's what you are, then -"  
"I gave it all up." they murmured, shaking their head, "I made a deal, and gave it up to be a person. It's not meant to be coming back. And I shouldn't be telling you this, because for all I know you're coming to drag me away." they huffed.   
"Do I look like I'm going to drag you away?" she demanded, shaking her head, "I told you, I wanna help people. I travel, and I help people."

The lights and steam of the kebab shop reached them, dingy as they were. A few drunken people were scattered around, most making a mess of themselves, and the Doctor wrinkled her nose just slightly. She hovered as Jet headed in, ordering something meaty and greasy, and a few minutes later they were moving again. She was at least patient enough to stay quiet as they shoved mouthfuls into their face, finding a bench half in darkness and sinking to sit on it.

When they had eaten about half of the greasy mess, the Doctor was almost vibrating with all her questions.   
"So ..." she leant forward a little. "Where are you from?"  
"Earth." they mumbled, licking chilli sauce off their lips. "I ... the place I came from." they exhaled slowly. "It's so different to here. I lived in the outlands, with the rest of the dragons." their eyes were hollow. "There was a city. Big cities, like this... they had deemed that people like me - creatures like dragons, Kirin, unicorns, we - were nothing more than animals. Dangerous. Feral." their nose wrinkled in disgust. "So we lived far away. Like nothing more than vermin. Kept to smaller and smaller spaces. I couldn't do it any more. I could see us all getting more vicious, more cold ... more like they wanted us to be." Jet stared at the food in it's little polystyrene container, shaking their head. "I didn't want to be nothing more than an animal."

"So how did you end up here?" she pressed, as they picked a slice of cucumber out of their food and chucked it onto the floor.   
"I gave it all up." they said, still hollow. "There were - mages. Dragons are magical. Incredibly so. These - parasites, nothing more, really. Humans, most of them, or - other creatures, but, usually human... they lived around the edges. Sometimes they'd get killed but they could draw up the magic from us and use it." they swallowed hard. "And I approached one and made them a deal. They would take every drop from me, and use it to make me human, keep the rest. Send me to the city. I would never have to sleep in dirt again." they shook their head. The Doctor was almost off the edge of the cold bench, peering eagerly.

"Why am I telling you this?" they muttered.   
"Oh, got a very trustworthy face."   
They scoffed and shook their head, still looking at their lap.   
"Nah. You're cute, don't get me wrong, lady, I'd be down," they exhaled sharply, "But I don't think that's why you're here, is it?" she was slightly caught offguard by that, brows shooting up into her hairline, mouth dropping open for just a moment. "Nah. I just ... this wasn't meant to happen. I was meant to be human, and living on my world, and I'm here, and I'm - changing back, and -"  
"You feel like you've been duped." she whispered, thoughtfully, trying to shove the other statement out of her head. "I get that."

They nodded, looking a little miserable. Distracting themselves by shoving the kebab into their mouth, they fell quiet, just listening to the distant sounds of the clubs and drunken people.   
Finally, when it was empty, they sighed.  
"I don't know why this is happening." the Doctor looked across, but the shapeshifter's eyes were fixed into the middle distance. "It was working. I've been living, working, I've been ... I've been okay." they reached up to rub at their cheek, "I don't know why the magic's breaking down now. I don't want to die." 

"Hey." the Doctor smiled. "Don't worry, Jet. I'm gonna help you. No matter what happens, I promise."


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to give a shoutout to my friend Mat. They are responsible for a huge amount of the Doctor and Yaz's characterisation in this fic and Jet's development would be nothing like this without it!

  
She dug in her pocket until fingertips touched cool metal, tugging, as Jet stared. Their face was closed off, expression cold and distant, but she knew there was a way to get through to them. She was determined to do so. Waving the sonic, she beamed at them, fiddling with the settings.   
"So, my TARDIS, my - ship, read you as human." she told them, "But now that I have you here, I can scan you properly!"  
"With a vibrator?"  
"What?" she lifted her head, "With a - what?"  
"Never mind." they grinned just slightly, shaking their head, "Alright. So ... what is that? I remember you waving that thing around before..." they murmured, tilting their head a little. 

"Sonic screwdriver." she grinned, wrinkling her nose for a second, "Made it m'self. Out of spoons!" she nodded, "Does all sorts of things. Obviously mostly, uh, screwdriver things, but it's also a pretty handy-dandy scanning device. Right, that should do it. Hold still."  
She pointed it at them, and Jet winced just slightly as the orange light glowed and the device whirred, clicking away, cataloguing. Their hands tightened, crushing the polythene which had contained their dinner, throat bobbing as if they expected to shift - but nothing happened, of course. 

The Doctor was still all smiles as she took the device away and peered at it. The corners of her mouth tweaked down, eyes narrowing, a low 'hmm' escaping her throat.   
"Let's try that again." she shook it, as if it was an old pen and she had to get the last drop of ink out, before pointing it at Jet again. The same whirrs and clicks, but when she read it this time, it beeped as if in annoyance. "That's not possible. There's - interference."   
"What are you talking about?" perhaps it was the frustration, but Jet's voice was almost a sigh.   
"I'm scannin' you, trying to figure out what's goin' on, why you're turnin' back." she muttered, fiddling with the settings, "But there's no reading. It says you're human, and it won't - give me anything else. When I try to get deeper, something's interfering it with it. But - what?" she tapped it against her palm a few times, before hopping up, grinning.

"Right! Nothing else for it. Come with me." and she set off at a neat clip. It took a moment to realise that the dragon wasn't with her. She stopped and turned, something like exasperation in her eyes. "Come on!" she gestured wildly for them to fall into step. "Why are you starin' at me like that? Places to be!"  
They seemed to shake themselves a little and got up, dumping the rubbish on the seat behind them, an ever so slight flush on their cheeks hidden in the low lighting. 

"Where are we going?" Resignation coloured their tone, now, as they moved back through the streets of Sheffield, the way they had come. "I'm done with the bar, I have work tomorrow anyway..."  
"We're going to my ship." she responded, ignoring their comments, "Going to get a proper scan working on you, figure out why your magic is breaking down. Admittedly, not much into magic, more into science. And I know some science can look like magic, so, if I know myself, I'll find a way through this." she kept up brightly, hopping on her heels.

"Right." Jet muttered, wondering why they were going along with her. But it was strange. They lived their life - well, since the magic had started falling apart - with a hint of fear in everything they did. Fear of being caught. Fear of changing. Fear of - people. And maybe it was easy enough to lose themselves in strong alcohol and bodies but there was never any real connection. She was the first person in - oh, so long - that they felt more curiousity than fear. 

"When did this start? The shapeshifting?" she asked, as they walked, although her quick feet and bouncy nature meant she was apt to speed ahead, boinging along like Tigger. "You said it was recent, but you've been here a while?"  
"Oh. Uh. Yeah. Been here about a year." they admitted. "I - was at that Christmas Faire. That's when it started."  
"Christmas Faire? What month are we in?" she peered up at the sky, narrowing her eyes as if it would tell her more. 

Jet's eyebrows quirked up, uncertain eyes fixing on her again.   
"Are you fuckin' with me?" they mumbled. They didn't have an accent that fitted the area, not really - it was smooth and mostly English-toned, but with an odd lilt that might have sounded Eastern European, even if it didn't seem to have any fixed country to it.   
"Why would I do that? I travel in time." the Doctor grinned, and Jet slowed just a little, now uncertain again. "What do you have to lose?" she added, head tilting so pale strands blew across her features. Jet's throat bobbed as they moved again.

"It's November. Twenty-eighth." they added. "It was, I dunno, a week ago. And there was a, uh, a -" they broke off, throat bobbing. "It happened there. The first time. I shifted, and I ran away because I was - fucking terrified." they reached up to rub at their cheek. "And after a while I turned back, but since then, whenever I get properly spooked I shift. I don't - seem to have control over it. Not like before." they were almost back at the nightclub now, although it seemed to be getting busier. "This ... wasn't meant to happen." their voice softened, eyes hollow, and the Doctor slowed a little to look back. 

"I gave everything to stop being a monster, stop being - an animal. And I - I never wanted - I was making it here. And it's shit, yeah, I mean, I work a - really bad job and my place is tiny and I miss flying but - but I was human, and it was fine. No more mud, no more fighting for your life, no more - seeing your own kind turning on each other."   
"Hey..." she took a few steps back towards them, "It'll be okay, alright? And - if it helps - you aren't a monster." they scoffed. "Oi! Don't be like that. I mean it. You are a very beautiful dragon, and there is nothing wrong with that. It's who you are, not what you are, that matters. Trust me, I know that." she gave a tiny smile.

"You don't know me." Jet said, softly. "You don't know me at all." regardless, they followed as she stepped down the narrow alley, and paused. The TARDIS was there, it's beacon on top and the sign lit gently. The Doctor stilled at the doorway, looking back with a grin. Jet frowned, unable to help themselves.  
"That's a box."  
"I know."  
"That's not a spaceship."  
"She is a spaceship!"   
"It's a _box_. Listen, I've got no problem being jammed up against you in a small space, but -"  
"Wait and see." she stepped into the doorway, leaving it open, warm orange light flooding out and making even the dingy alley seem homelier. Jet exhaled sharply.

They stepped in. Poked their head back out. Stepped out, tapping the sides, then - back in.   
"I've seen size modification magic before, but - this is ridiculous. How is it stable?" they queried, finally shutting the door as they came in fully. "The expansion spell, I mean. They're so hard to maintain..."  
"Hm? Oh, no. This is a dimension." the Doctor was on the other side of the room now, beaming at them. "A separate dimension, squished into a shell! Nice and simple. Well, not simple at all, really, but there's no point explaining it. It's how I travel. Take it anywhere. Love my TARDIS, me." she patted a crystal fondly. Jet moved slowly, trailing fingertips over the railing, a little in disbelief.

"So you're an alien. And you travel in time and space." Jet asked, softly. "And you go round helping people and call yourself a Doctor?"  
"Oi. Not A Doctor. I'm _The Doctor_. Definite article. Only one of me." she wrinkled her nose as she flashed them a brief grin. "When you said 'not like before', what did you mean?"  
"What?" they looked up from where they'd been staring at the console.  
"You said you didn't have control - not like before."  
"Oh." they grinned, just a little. "Well, I mean. Dragons - we don't really, uh, gender? Where we're from?"

"Ohhhhhhh," she drew it out, and then stilled, eyes darting away. "No, I'm lost. Run that by me again?"  
"When I first, uh, got here," they admitted, "Well, I mean. I've always been able to shift - back and forth. Because dragons don't really have gender I guess the magic did what it could, and I always had control. Of that. Makes flirting easier." they gave a tiny grin, "Just gotta find out their preference." the Doctor blinked owlishly as she processed that, then clapped her hands.  
"Oh. Oh! Oh, you mean, down _there_ , okay, I'm with you! Same page!" she grinned. "Yeah. My people don't really gender, either. We can change it. Little less, uh, short term, than you, but - I let them call me she because humans get really weird about that kinda thing."

"You're telling me." Jet muttered, dryly, "Lucky enough to look, I guess, androgynous enough by their standards." they shrugged. "I let 'em get away with, y'know, he or her, depending, but I usually end up with 'he'. Got no need for uh, y'know, those." he gestured vaguely at her chest. "So they never seem to show up."  
"Definitely easier being seen as a man." the Doctor agreed, dryly.   
"I dunno. Think you'll get by alright." they grinned at her, playfully, leaning in a little. "I'm pretty good at getting invited back, but this is quick even by my standards..."

"Oi, you, knock it off." she responded, but hid her smile just a touch. "Right. Shall we get you scanned? Maybe I'll be able to figure out where you come from, take you back -"  
"No." the response was sharp, hard edged, and she snapped up from where she'd been getting some wires from the console.  
"No?"  
"No. If I go back, I'll be killed. Despite everything, Doctor, I really would rather be alive." they insisted, throat bobbing. "Dragons will see me as a traitor. And if I shift in front of anyone else, they'll have me killed for not being in the outlands." they shook their head again.

The Console beeped and hissed softly at her.  
"Yes, I'll do it later." she muttered, sparks bursting around her hands. "Ow! I'm a bit busy right now." she snapped. Jet leant back, raising their eyebrows.  
"I didn't say -"  
"Not you. My ship. She's being very mardy! Annoyed that I interrupted her integrating a new part." there was a flurry of low beeps. "Yes, I will, _later_." she insisted.   
Jet moved away from the conversation, peering down a corridor.

"How big is this place?" they called back.  
"Oh, infinite. A maze of corridors and rooms, impossible to navigate if you don't know what you're doing. So don't wander off!"  
"Impossible to get out of?" Jet asked, glancing back.  
"I wouldn't let anyone _die_ in there." the Doctor insisted, offended, raising her brows. "And the TARDIS would let someone out, if they wanted out. Well... most people."

"Alright, here we go. Come here." she pulled a seat out of the base of the console, an uncomfortable metal 'u' shaped thing, and Jet perched there uncertainly as she attached electrodes to them. "Let's find out what's going on with your magic, hm?"


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for missing an update! I've been unwell, I'm back on antibiotics.

  
The TARDIS beeped, hummed, whirred, clicked. The lights in the room dimmed a little, strange tingles running over Jet's fingers. They looked at the same screen the Doctor was seeing, made of strands of smoke, but whatever it was displaying was utterly unintelligible to them. 

"You said you changed at the Faire?" she asked, frowning, pressing a few buttons on a tiny keyboard.   
"Oh. Uh. Yeah. Is this meant to tingle?"  
"So, what happened? Just - looking at some good deals, Christmas Spirit got to you and boom, dragon?"  
"Oh. No. No, um. I - I ... fell in. Well. Dived in... more accurately."  
"What?" she looked around, brows raising, "Into - what?"  
"It was at the reservoir. Big - fancy faire. Couldn't afford much, but the area's quite, y'know, it's nice, and they were selling the Christmas trees so I was just - walking around the stalls. And some families were taking pictures at the water." their cheeks were flushed, refusing to look at her. "And there was - a kid. Who fell in. So I jumped in after them."

She had turned fully to look at them, now, not even looking at the smokescreen, eyes thoughtful. They were such a vivid hazel, so intense, Jet couldn't help but stare back, throat bobbing. They hadn't admitted this, of course, to anyone, how could they? But - shit. It was important.  
"Maybe it's not the magic failing." she murmured, to herself, "Alright, so - you jumped in? To the water? But, from what I remember, dragons - don't do water, right?"  
They nodded, just slightly.   
"If we get too cold we can't breathe fire any more, it can kill us, so - water ... I've had to get used to how unafraid humans are of water. How much they like it, really." Jet admitted. "But - I saw them falling, and I knew - I knew I couldn't let it happen, so I just - I leapt in after them and - I knew it was happening then." they looked down at their hands, unable to meet her eyes. "I felt it, in the water. I shifted. And I grabbed them, they were wearing this - this puffy green coat, and the shock of the water - I pushed them onto the shore and - ran for it." 

"You ran?" she asked, softly.   
"I got to the other side of the reservoir, I - I don't remember much. Got out of the ice, I could barely fly but I remember, running through the woods and then - I woke up in bed. Human again." they whispered, hands shaking. The Doctor moved a little closer, peering into their face.  
"And since then ..?"  
"Since then. When I get scared, I shift. There doesn't seem to be any pattern to it." they admitted. "Just - fear." they swallowed hard. "Like when I heard your friends talking about caging me."

The Doctor leant back against the console, thoughtfully.   
"I don't think the magic is failing, Jet." she said, softly. "It's possible this was - built into it. Maybe it's a reward, for your bravery." her head canted slightly to the side.  
"What? No. Some fucking reward." they scoffed.   
She hopped to her feet, starting to pace.  
"The TARDIS is reading you as human, Jet." she said, softly, "It thinks you're from here, it thinks you're just a human, nothing else. Either you're literally a different person when you're a human, in which case I need to scan you when you're shifted, or ..."  
"Or the magic is working as it's supposed to." Jet's throat felt dry as they realised, speaking the words into reality. The Doctor nodded.

"I'm not going to be able to make you stay as a human, Jet." she admitted. "But I still think I can help."  
"No. Fuck this." Jet lurched upright, "Listen, thanks for - this, thanks for, I dunno, caring, but the night is young and if you're not going to sleep with me, I think I'll find someone who will -" they made to move but she blinked rapidly, standing too.  
"No, listen, I'm having a thought, a really good thought, and it's getting there but it's not - not there yet," she admitted, "What if, what if this, this is, uh," she clicked her fingers. "Like - a magical puberty?" she burst out. "You're growing into new powers. You've had your time, y'know, normal human, but now you don't have control, like when your voice drops, and soon you'll have control and who knows what you'll do?" she suggested, bright eyed as if this solved everything.

"How young do you think I am?" Jet asked, tone dripping with derision, "I had my puberty about fourty years ago." they shook their head, "I don't know. I don't know what this is, but I don't want it. I just want to go back to living my boring life, working in a supermarket, and - just leave me alone."  
They swept towards the door, and the Doctor stepped back, face falling just a little.  
"I won't make you stay." she said, softly. "I've done puberty myself, a few times now. Doesn't mean anything, Jet. But I know how hard it is to face something terrifying without a friend. And I'm your friend now." they stilled, almost at the door. "I'm not going to keep you without your consent and - really not that interested in sleeping with you." she added.

"Shame." they shrugged at the doorway, but their eyes softened a little. "What do you mean?" they hesitated. "Several bodies?"  
"I don't think we know each other well enough for that question, do we?" she responded, raising her brows. Jet winced just slightly, but nodded regardless. "Do you really want to leave, right now?" their hand was on the handle of the TARDIS door. "Because I don't think you do, Jet. I think you want this help."

"I was born a dragon. Hatched out of an egg, in the middle of mud and sulphur and - so much hatred. Like wild animals." they murmured. "And I wanted out. So I found a way out. And now it's dragging me back." she nodded, just slightly.  
"I don't remember all of them, but - I do remember some childhood. Being a young boy. And my - species, what I am, we can change our bodies. If we get hurt. We can start over again. That's why I know what it's like for the world to think you're a man." she supplied, accepting the snippet as the offering it was.

"I'm going to help you. I'll come back." she suddenly shot up, dancing around, digging in her pockets until she found a piece of paper and a pen. Scrawling a number on it, she proffered it to Jet.  
"This'll find me. No matter where I am, what I'm doing, this will find me. I'm going to do everything I can to find out what's happening to you." she promised. Jet reached out, taking ahold of it, staring at it for a few moments. "I promise. I never refuse a cry for help."

They carefully tucked it inside their shirt, feeling the paper against their skin. Hesitating for a breath more, gripping the handle of the door.   
"Can you believe I have work tomorrow?" they murmured. The Doctor grinned.  
"Humans and work. Honestly. I think you deserve a day off." she added, brightly.   
"The stupidest thing." Jet wasn't looking at her, staring at their grip on the handle, "If I was there, again? If I saw that kid, any kid, fall again? I wouldn't hesitate. Even if I knew what would happen." their throat bobbed. "Isn't that stupid?"

"It's not stupid." she murmured. "It's brave. Go on, Jet. You'll be okay. I'll see you soon." she said, and they nodded, opening the door, stepping out into the cold November air.   
The Doctor sat back against the console, covering her mouth with her hand, staring at nothing as her mind twisted over the possibilities. The TARDIS hissed loudly, and she startled.   
"Right. Yes. Sorry, back to Graham's." she said, gently, "Let's get you cycled." and the TARDIS dematerialised, leaving the alley empty as the lone figure made their way home, piece of paper tucked tight against their skin.


	8. Chapter 8

  
The TARDIS landed in exactly the same spot in Graham's front lounge, groaning and wheezing as it was, complaining about the short hops. She patted the console as it hissed unhappily. She stepped into the darkened lounge, checking on the displacement unit that was still sat on the table, whirring softly. She grinned, hooking it back up to the TARDIS. The machine settled back down into her low-energy mode. The Doctor paused in the living room, rocking on her heels, thinking just how she might be able to help the shapeshifter... and she had promised the TARDIS she would take a nap, but, well, curiosity had ahold of her ...

Okay. Library! Books, best weapon in the world. Leaving the TARDIS doors open, the Doctor quick-stepped it to the beautiful space. She didn't come here often enough, any more. She knew the layout perfectly, no matter how many times the ship changed it's design. Heading through the rows after rows of books, some of them looking little like what one might consider a 'book' in any sense of the word. Dragons, dragons - children's books lined up next to ancient, leather-bound books, but this was mythology. She dug a little deeper, seeking for references, species...

"It doesn't make sense." she murmured. "Magic... science by another name, yes, but ..." talking to herself was an easy way to think, when her fam wasn't there to ramble at. She tugged out more and more books, soon having a small stack of them in front of her. Dumping them at a beautiful, dark wood table, the Doctor spread the volumes out. Flicking through, her eyes narrowed, the words settling into her mind... there had to be something here. Moments later a book clattered as she chucked it aside, frustrated by the lack of helpful information. The pile of discarded papers grew higher until her table was empty, rapping her knuckles on it in frustration.

"Where did you come from?" she muttered. With most of the systems down, she couldn't run more tests. She had promised to find an answer, but the fact was, uncertainty was starting to dominate the Doctor's mind. Whatever was going on with the magic, it was no science that she really knew about. And if her other thought was right, that it was some kind of a reward, it must be something pretty twisted ...  
"No alien culture that I know of." she murmured, tilting her chair back, resting her feet up on the desk as she thought deeply.

"And registering as a human. So that might mean - no. Yes! No... unless..." she got to her feet, zipping through the corridors to the console room, swiping the scale where it still sat amongst all it's wires and sensors. The sonic was already in her hand, fiddling with the settings, wondering if she could just ... the scale looked surprisingly dull in her fingertips, having already lost a lot of it's natural lustre. Interesting. She pointed the sonic at it, whirring softly, clicking and crackling, unhappy with what she was doing.  
"I know, I know, but - ah!" there was a spark but the sonic whirred, finally giving her a result.

"Perfect! Ah - oh." her voice softened, peering at the results, frowning. "That explains a lot." cursing internally, she shook her head, lowering the device. How was she going to help them? "Magic." she muttered, putting the scale back in it's little dish, looking out of her TARDIS door into the dark lounge room. "Right." running her fingertips along the edge of the console, she turned her head away, "Let's ... get some rest. Hm." her nose scrunched in disgust at the idea, "Or I could do some low level repairs whilst that is cycling, things that don't need power for me to test, or ..." she wavered on her feet for a second, knowing the TARDIS was already angry that she hadn't slept.

Maybe she could think about where she was going to take the fam next. There were a few options. Although her mind would keep wandering back to Jet... they had her number. That was fine. If they wanted help, and she would have known if a monster was going to pop up in Sheffield, so ... it would be fine. Right? A mystery. Her greatest weakness. It scrabbled in the corner of her mind, but like so many tickly thoughts, she had to let it scrabble itself into something like a cohesive thought by ignoring it. 

She would talk to the fam in the morning. The frustration that she couldn't have them here, now, to bounce ideas off - humans! So much time wasted in sleep. It occurred to the Doctor that she had been pacing in the console this entire time, finally stilling herself.   
"Right. Find something to do with yourself." she murmured, contemplating that she couldn't even jump to the next day because she needed the damned new component to cycle. "No use wasting time, Doctor. Always repairs to do."

\--

The streets were dark and their head felt weird. Jet kept moving, barely aware of reaching their flat, key turning in the lock, pushing their way into the miniscule space. There was a clatter as they were dumped on the side, moving into the bathroom, running water and splashing it on their face. Hands shaking just a touch, they felt the waves of exhaustion that they had been suppressing this whole time. Shifting like that really was draining, making them feel like an empty sausage casing.   
"Okay." they murmured, rubbing the water through their hair. "Okay. Work tomorrow. Don't - think about it." it had been a while since they'd come back to this bed empty, they mused, kicking off shoes and slumping onto their sheets.

"Don't think about her." they stared at the ceiling, picking the number out of their shirt, peering at it uncertainly. "Don't ... call her." they put it down on the bedside table, "Don't do it." chucking their clothes aside, Jet crawled under the sheets, pinning it down with their phone. In the low light coming from the streetlamp outside the window, they smiled against themselves.. shimmering blonde like the sun. No. No!   
"Get a grip." they muttered, shoving their face into the pillow. 

For the first night since the faire, they slept without nightmares.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you can't catch me, gay thoughts.


	9. Chapter 9

  
Work. Home. Drink. Bed. Work. Home. Drink. Bed. It was the cycle which had consumed Jet for - well, a long time, now. An easy enough pattern to maintain. They worked in a supermarket, low level shitty job pretty much all they could achieve. Getting the kind of papers they needed to be part of this world had been - very interesting, but whatever magic that mage had used, they seemed to have some records. Learning to act human had taken time, and luck, and now Jet very much knew how much luck they'd had.

The encounter with the Doctor was hanging heavy in their head, although they kept trying to push it away. If she really was a time-travelling alien - and they still had some doubts about that fact - then why would she ever come back after them? Of course not. The idea of it being a reward, this terrifying change, still felt like an insult... especially as they sat through the third old person that week screaming at them about not stocking an item... as if they had any control over it. The night called, loud music and bodies and distraction.

And it was so easy to fall back into the cycle. Harder to think about their fears when they were wrapped up in a soft body, able to play in any direction, able to lose themselves ... that was what they wanted. Right? Jet sat up slowly, leaving the body in the bed still sleeping softly, resting their hands on their knees and staring at the unfamiliar wall. Another night in another bed. Glancing over their shoulder, they swallowed hard at the sight of the pale hair spread over the pillow. Coincidence, in a dark nightclub surrounded by neon lights and alcohol... just coincidence.

The lights of an alarm clock blinked softly on the bedside table, red letters, and they wondered for a moment who used analogue clocks, when most people had their phones... moving with surprising quiet, Jet slipped into their clothes. A few hours before they had to leave for work, and they were quite an expert at moving silently, when needed. The air bit at their face, but the cold didn't bother them much, not any more. Shrugging a jacket onto their shoulders, they kept their head down, boots clunking on the pavement.

The sun had only just risen, judging by the mist, the frost and the pinkish edge to the sky. Eyes flickered up, and they could almost feel the way that early sun would feel on their scales, wings fighting against air devoid of any thermal current - swallowing hard, they shook their head.   
"Get your shit together." they muttered, rubbing that hand back along their jaw, focusing on keeping their step steady as they headed back to their flat. A reward. The sky looked so appealing, moving from pink to gold, streaked with the pale blue as the sun rose properly. 

The bodies at night didn't care, not really. Jet knew they were starting to get a reputation, but that mattered little. Dragons mated for pleasure as much as anything else, with little grip on gender it was so much easier. Humans were so tangled in their lives, Jet had realised, and whilst their confidence was an easy way to many beds, still... it was getting harder not to be recognised. Relationships ... seemed a far off thing. Not that they had much appeal, really. Shaking their head, Jet tried to shake off the pensive thoughts. They'd not put much mind to it before, so why was their brain so determined to drag it all out, make them consider what they'd taken for granted?

The flat was a repriese, at least for a little. Shower, uniform, work. Think about prices and angry customers and timed scanning, don't think about her. Don't think about her. Not thinking about her.

The day dragged, as it always did. By the time freedom approached, Jet's mind felt even messier than normal. It had been a quiet shift, which made it worse, because if it was busy then at least they could focus on that. And they always took the long hours, needing spending money as well as maintaining their shitty little home. This had all been so fucking easy before.

Putting their headphones in, Jet kept their head down, pace steady. Back to the flat, then - out to the bar. Or ... or maybe not. Not tonight. It was almost Christmas, now, the music everywhere driving them half wild. No, their kind had no celebration like this, no religion. They had, once, and Jet remembered, when they were barely more than hatched. Worshipping the great dragon gods, responsible for their magic, their power. The elders, the largest of which had barely moved for hundreds of years... Jet had always admired them. A flicker of an immense head, blood soaking into the ground -

Grimacing, they rubbed at their eyes, pushing back the old memories. It didn't matter. The festivals had ended, the dragons had discarded their old gods, life had continued. For most of them, of course. Their breath caught in their nose, but - what was that? Stilling, Jet listened, sure they'd heard something -

" _Down here_ -" that voice was vaguely familiar. Jet tugged out their headphones, letting the buds hang around their neck. Footsteps, fast but not - too close, a few streets over...  
Heavy bodies pushed them aside, Jet stumbling back against a wall, blinking owlishly as four - people - marched past. Dressed all in leather, near enough identical in height, and - oh. Guns. Definitely guns. Very big guns, held in their bulky arms. Jet swallowed hard, a bolt of fear striking through their chest, back pinned agains the wall. But they didn't seem interested, barely sparing the dragon a glance, turning down the next street.

"What in the fuck..?" peering after them, they hesitated. "Oh, fuck it." shoving their phone deep into their pocket, Jet started to follow, hanging back a fair distance so that they wouldn't be spotted, hopefully.   
The sound of fast footsteps were more and more apparent, now, as Jet slunk in the shadow ... three sets, from what they could make out, their hearing becoming clearer and clearer the more they focused... 

_"It was here_!" They were an alley away, Jet realised, stilling as the men in black rounded the corner, spreading to clearly block the exit. " _I swear, it was this one - "_  
 _"Granddad, we got company._ " A new voice, Jet frowned... there was a little twist of fear but they kept it buried deep.  
" _You will tell us where the Doctor is._ " The voice rippled and echoed, metallic-edged, unnatural.  
" _I will not, sunshine, so you better well fling your hook._ " the older man again.  
" _Graham_!" an annoyed voice, female, hissing at him, barely audible. Jet's heart pounded in their ears, thinking - they had heard them before. Yelling for the Doctor. Her friends. So if they were here, cornered, then where -?

The track was distracted. The distorted voice spoke again, accompanied by a ratcheted clicking and metal noise - guns being raised, safeties removed.  
" _Oh, great one, Granddad_." the young male voice again. " _Now we're gonna get shot."_  
 _"Tell us where the Doctor is. This is your final warning._ "  
"I'm telling you, mate, we don't know," the woman spoke again, " _But if anythin' happens to us, she's gonna be real pissed -"_

The guns were moving again. They were being threatened. The Doctor's friends were being threatened. Adrenaline pounded in Jet's blood. They were breathing, too fast, way too fast. The smells were starting to overwhelm them, everything too bright, too - too much - the injustice of it was clawing into their throat. A growl escaped, lower, deeper than a human throat could make, and then they were moving - dropping to all fours, leaping up. Wings swept down powerfully, half bounding up the wall, half flying - landing heavily in front of the three humans.

Rearing up, Jet opened their mouth, inhaling deeply, so deep, sparks in their throat - a bone-rattling roar escaping as they bathed the alley with fire.


	10. Chapter 10

  
The fam had pancaked themselves against the back wall, breathing fast, utter disbelief. Ryan was clutching Yaz's shoulders, Graham's hand held tight on the other side. The great black tail whipped over their heads; instinct prompted him to duck, at the least, tugging the other two to the floor.

"What the fuck, what the fuck, what the fuck -" he was breathing, eyes saucer-wide as he stared at the monster in front of him. "Are you guys seeing this?" he couldn't draw his vision away long enough to see the mute nods from his friends. He'd been totally sure that death was upon them, expecting a hailstorm of bullets - or, at a push, for the Doctor to appear and save them. But - he hadn't expected this. In fact, he'd near enough forgotten the encounter. Yaz wasn't faring much better, although she was a little more practical - already running through the list of options to get away, get past it...

Guns were raising, and then there was heat. So much heat. The group twisted, curling away from the blaze of unbelievable light, tiny hairs crisping. All this and they were going to get burnt to ash in a mucky back-alley? The roar faded, slowly, the world unbelievably dim after the intensity of the flames. Smoke and something unpleasantly like crisping bacon filled the air. To his disgust, Graham felt his mouth water just a little as he squinted. The hulking shape was almost impossible to see with the sunspots flickering in his eyes, but from the deep, heaving breaths, it was apparent that Jet hadn't moved.

Tiny flames flickered and danced, sputting smoke from the twisted, ashy corpses of the creatures that had been chasing them. With a rattle almost like glass shifting over itself, the great wings slumped to the floor, no longer tucked against their back. Tail also hung limp, close enough that Graham could've run his fingers along it, now it was slowly coming into focus. 

"Run." Yaz breathed. "We have to run before it attacks us too. Move. Move." she shoved them both, still hissing, doing her best not to be sighted. The dragon's head was hanging low, staring listlessly, and as their eyes came more and more into focus the great heaving of it's back was almost painfully obvious. "Don't think, just run." Yaz shoved again, Graham stumbling up to his feet, doing his best not to make a sound. "We'll find each other." The wall to one side, he ran, not looking, just hoping - the second he was out of the alley he took off, already feeling his legs ache from being crouched in fear. Probably the fittest he'd been in his life, with the Doctor, the dark Sheffield streets feeling more threatening than they had in his life and the smell of smoke so strong and unpleasant in the air.

Those soldiers - they'd been incinerated. Destroyed. He hadn't seen anything but smudgy marks left behind where they'd been, and the horror of that hadn't quite sunk in yet. All the death he'd seen and that was sitting with him. His hands trembled as he tried to tug his phone out.  
"Where is she? Where the hell is she?" he breathed, dropping it with a clatter, struggling to scoop it up again.   
"Ah!" the device got near enough thrown again, something touched him -  
"Whoa, granddad, it's me, it's me," Ryan gasped, as breathless and wide-eyed in the low light as Graham felt like he was. 

"Oh, thank God." he tugged Ryan into a hug, clapping his back. "Is Yaz with you?"   
Ryan shook his head, reaching up to rub a hand over his jaw.  
"She went the other way. What the hell - what was that?" he demanded. "Did that thing just defend us?"  
"Maybe it had beef with those super-soldiers, I dunno. Where the hell is the Doctor? I thought she was meant to be stopping those guys before they got near us!" Graham shook his head, groaning as he picked his phone up from where it was in the dirt again.

"Ah, hell." he groaned, shaking it, "I think I broke it. Do you have yours?" Ryan patted his pockets, then shook his head. "Do you remember where she parked?"  
"Uh. Vaguely." he mumbled, "You think we can get back without that thing eating us?" he asked.  
"Only one way to find out, son. Let's go. Hopefully we can grab Yaz on the way."

Smoke. Ash. Sulphur. Blood. Burning bodies. Cold, wet brick against their back. Jet could taste the metal-copper-spark taste in their mouth, the sign that it had been recently ignited. The low rattle of trembling scales echoed in their finned ears. Where were they? Focus. Focus! The ground in front of them was scorched black. The light was low but their eyes were sharp, the not-too-distant streetlights casting more than enough for their split pupils to see what was in front of them. Smoke twisted and roiled off the bodies, although the fires had mostly extinguished. What was left of bodies, barely recognisable. They swallowed hard, trying to get rid of a taste that refused to fade.

They hunkered down, staring at the bodies, the once-living things that they had - they - oh. Oh no. No, no, no no no no - not now. They huffed, and again, and again, great heaving lungfuls of air but not enough, it wasn't enough and without even thinking their mind grasped out. Throwing into open air, desperate, some kind of help maybe there was something maybe there was nothing probably there was nothing but if - if - if they could - 

" _Doctor_ ," they gasped, eyes wide and glazed. _"Doctor. Please. Please, if you're there, please, anyone, are you hearing me? I'm a monster. I'm a monster. I can't - I can't do this, I'm a monster, I lost contro_ l." they couldn't cry, gold eyes incapable of tears, but they trembled, claws driving down into concrete. " _Please hear me. Doctor. Please. Please..._ " 

"Oh, come on, you useless..." she smacked the side of the device with her mallet. The fam were running distraction. They couldn't let the slabs get ahold of the TARDIS, and they were quick, only this thing was supposed to have been working - uh - a while ago. The low beeping from the TARDIS was getting louder as she adjusted the sonic, pointing at the side of it. The device hissed and sparked, then powered on. "Yes! Alright, just gotta - agh!" it landed heavily on it's side, hands losing their grip, shooting up to her head as the voice barged into a space very much usually only occupied by her.

"Ow! Oh, hey, Jet - wait." she froze. That was quick. That was really quick, and if they were reaching out with their mind, then they were changed, which - ow. "Okay, okay, calm down. Deep breaths, Jet, I hear you." she murmured out loud, pushing the words through the link, now fully opened up. The panic was constricting her chest, she could feel the immense thundering of a heart far bigger than hers. "Hey, hey, it's okay. I've got you." she whispered. "Are you okay?"

 _"No. I think I just - I just killed some people. A lot of people. With guns. They had guns and they were threatening people and I just acted I didn't think and they're dead I killed them I killed them I'm a monster- "_  
"Jet. Jet, Jet. Jet. _JET_." she pushed, hard, and the voice stilled a little. Frozen as she was, mostly to her feet, one hand still gripping the edge of the device, all her focus on maintaining the panic-ridden link. "Okay, stay with me. Deep breaths, nice and slow, nice and steady, yeah? I'm going to -"

The TARDIS door slammed open, a tiny beep of annoyance escaping the machine at the violence.  
"Doctor you are never gonna believe this." Ryan panted, followed shortly by Graham.  
"We saw that bloody great dragon -"

"Shh!" she hissed, not even looking at them. "More important things, fam."  
"Wait. Is Yaz not here?" Ryan asked, throat dry. Graham peered behind them, but the street was dark and unnervingly silent.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Massive thanks to anyone leaving comments, kudos and support. It means more than you can imagine.  
> Jet has so much to them and anyone caring about my OC means the world.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> oh god so many italics help

  
"Doc, where's Yaz -?"   
"Shh!" she hissed, ignoring Graham's look of annoyance. Her eyes were shut, moving a little closer to the console, holding onto the edge of it to help anchor herself. If she wasn't careful, the mental connection would wash her away in a flood of the dragon's fear. Her hearts were thundering staccato in her ears, even as she did everything she could to calm them down. "I'm talking, Graham!"

Her mind moved back to the terrified creature, already running through the options. She couldn't get there until she could focus, couldn't focus until Jet stopped flooding her brain with so much terror.   
_"Doctor? Please. Don't leave me._ " they whined.   
"It's fine, I'm here." she murmured, "I was talking to Graham and Ryan. My companions. You saw them before." she reminded them. "I'm near, I promise, I'm near you, but you need to calm down. I'll be there soon. So talk to me. Talk to me. I'm here."  
"Doctor, there's a dragon out there, and I have no idea where Yaz is -" Graham began, but the Doctor hissed at them again. 

The sensation of the world around Jet was filtering through their connection. The sensation of wings rattling gently against their side, the smell almost like brisket mixed with burning plastic, the cold that didn't break through their solid scales.   
The Doctor felt her mobile phone buzz inside her coat, dedicating a tiny portion of her brain to tugging it out and reading the message, Yaz's name flashing up on the screen.  
It wasn't a super cohesive message, typed in a panic, mentioning that she had gotten split up, the threat of the dragon, and where the hell had the Doctor gotten to? Tapping with one hand, she exhaled sharply.

Side street next to Tesco. Ryan Graham here. Dragon friend.  
Perhaps she could've been more friendly, but hey, she was very busy balancing quite a lot of things right now!  
"Tell me what happened." she insisted.   
" _I - I was heading home. From work. I heard - something. I - voices. I saw these, these people, these - I don't know. They had guns. They threatened - they were threatening people, and they said your name, and then I got - I got mad. I was so mad! Because it wasn't right, it wasn't right and then I was - then I was breathing fire and it was over. It was over."_

 _"I killed them."_  
"Jet." she murmured, relaxing her shoulders a little. "You didn't kill anyone."  
Yaz peered around the corner. Dragon friend? What the hell? But - she could see the lights of the Tesco down the street, almost out of view. An actual dragon, up close... terrifying. Exhilarating. And the more she thought about it, the more it occurred to her how the dragon had acted - had it been chance? Or had they been actually defending her, Ryan and Graham? She knew she should make a dash for the TARDIS, but curiosity bubbled in her chest, wondering ...

"Who are you talkin' to?" Graham demanded. Ryan put a hand on his shoulder. "What d'you mean, talkin' to, anyway?"  
The Doctor didn't even validate him with a response this time, focusing on Jet.  
 _"I want this to stop. I need this to stop. I never killed, before, not like this, I killed to eat, that was it, I never wanted this I'm a fucking monster,"_ the fear was building in their connection again, all the calming work she'd done starting to fall apart. _"I killed without even thinking, I just, three people, dead because of me, I - I never - I can't -"_  
"Jet!" she near enough yelled it, "I promise, you didn't kill anyone!"   
"Bet she's talkin' to the dragon." Ryan said, to Graham, "She said she spoke to it when we saw it before."  
"You're tellin' me that's the same thing we saw last time we were here?" Graham asked. "I mean, know it's been a while, mate, but I swear that thing tonight was twice the size -"

The Doctor opened her eyes, giving them the evil eye, and they fell silent like schoolkids avoiding a scolding from the headteacher.   
"Sorry. Some people see now as a good time to interrupt." she continued, "Jet. You need to listen, okay? Listen to me, properly. You are not a monster. And you didn't kill anyone. You just saved my friend's lives! You changed because you wanted to protect someone, not because you wanted to hurt people. Trust me, that's the sign of a good person, not a monster." 

_"They're dead. I can smell them."_  
"They were never alive." the Doctor smiled, just a little, "They're called slabs. Not living, not really, more like leather with a temporary consciousness. They exist just to do tasks, like automatons. Me and my friends have been trying to stop a bad alien doing bad things, and they were running distraction. You saved their lives, and nobody's dead."  
"She talkin'?" Graham snorted. "Quietest I've ever seen her. She should do it more often." he nudged Ryan playfully.   
"Oi! I can still hear you!" The Doctor didn't even look at him, eyes shut with her focus, dipping back into the mental conversation.   
_"Someone's here. I can smell them._ " they whispered, pressing their tail back into the corner, hunkering down and doing their best to become invisible.   
"Sir?"   
_"I'm not a guy._ " the response was automatic, even if the Doctor hadn't heard what the woman had said, and obviously humans couldn't connect with Jet's mind. " _Someone's here and I don't, I don't know, what I'm going to do, Doctor, it was like some - some awful part of me took over and what if - what if I hurt her - why is she here -"_  
"I know, Jet. I know. But I promise, you're there for a reason, and I'm going to figure it out. You're not a monster. Monsters rejoice in the suffering they create, and you don't. I've known plenty of monsters in my time..."

The woman was coming closer, now, peering towards them with a razor-sharp eye that sent their heart thundering into their throat. She was clearly struggling to see the black dragon, even with how bulky they were, in the darkness of the alley.   
"Please." the woman continued. "I'm not going to hurt you. I'm a friend, right? The Doctor's my friend... you saved my life." the rattling of shaking scales got just a little louder.

Jet turned their head, orange-yellow eyes the only bright thing in the alley, looking at her. They didn't mean to transmit what was being said back to the Doctor, but the connection was everything they were hanging onto, and it had been thrown wide open.   
_"Who is she? Why is she here? She's in danger. I could hurt her. Leave. Leave!"_ they growled, lowly, showing their teeth, deadly and curved. Puffing themselves up just a little, hoping it would scare her away. 

"Jet, stay calm. Describe her to me?" she could feel the ghost of the conversation, frowning, already knowing but needing the confirmation. No one would be so brave as Yasmin Khan. Heart as big as Yorkshire, that lass... and if anyone could calm Jet down, she had no doubt it would be here.   
"I'm not afraid of you. Growl all you want." Yaz spoke clearly, stepping closer, "The Doctor said you ain't dangerous, an' I believe her."  
" _About my height. Dark hair and eyes. She's - she's - I dunno. From here. I think._ " their tail twitched. " _She's pretty._ " why wasn't she running? They were dangerous! A monster! And yet she was closer now, her scent covering up the smell of the bodies for a moment. Jet growled again, rearing up slightly, claws flexing as they tried to pose. Snarling, wings flaring a little, back hitting the brick. " _Please get her out of here before I hurt her."_

"Don't be afraid." the Doctor pushed, warm waves rippling in their connection. "That's my friend Yaz. She's brilliant at not getting hurt, even better than me. And she's police! She's well trained, promise. Listen to her for me, Jet, and I will bet there soon. Super soon!" she broke the connection before the dragon could respond, hopping on her heels to shake out the pins and needles from being frozen.  
"Hi! No time to explain." she beamed at Ryan and Graham, who were still nearby, starting to shoot herself around the console, throwing switches as she went. "Just gotta zip off, grab Yaz before she gives our friendly dragon a panic attack, so - wait here! Won't be long!" like a rocket she shot out of the door, leaving them in a strange silence.

"That woman is absolutely mad." Graham said, shaking his head slowly.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait, folks, everything's been kinda wild for me recently! But I promise I haven't abandoned Jet or this story yet <3

  
" _Wait, wait, don't leave, please_ -" but the connection was broken and without the warmth of someone else to talk to, they felt cold all over again. Nostrils huffed out hot air. The smell of the bodies was fading a little now into the air, and more acrid than meaty. They didn't want to think too hard about what the Doctor had said, the idea of them being not alive even though they seemed so very living ... trying to figure if she was lying to them or not.

But the woman was still there, with a hand outreached, looking at Jet. They wondered whether she saw them as a monster, an animal, something wild. Maybe that was why she was holding out a hand, like it was a film. Their throat bobbed as they swallowed hard, no longer flashing threatening teeth but making no attempt to move closer. Like this, they felt so big and clunky, their claws deadly, a monster designed for death and nothing more. This world was so small to a dragon, really...

She seemed cautious. Moving slowly, exaggerated, telegraphing every move - giving Jet a chance to move back.  
"I've met aliens before. Loads of 'em. You're an alien, right? That's what th' Doctor said. I think." it had been a few weeks from their point of view, and there was caution in her tone. "She said y'were friendly, though. And I trust her." she was almost close enough to touch the dragon's nose, their breaths coming in great heaves. They could smell her, so clearly now. And layered on top of her own smells, there was something else that was familiar.

The Doctor.

They could hear steps now, running towards them through the streets, a familiar beat. The woman still didn't seem to hear it, but Jet's ears had perked up slightly at the sound of it. They wanted to take off, fly away, but their wings felt locked in at their sides. Their claws flexed slightly. Terrified of moving too much, in case they accidentally hit Yaz, in case they hurt her. Their tail twitched, slightly out of their control, unable to move any further back. Utterly locked down.

They had heard her name before. That was why they had protected her. That was why they had moved! They couldn't let the Doctor's friends get hurt, or - anyone, but - especially not them. It all made sense, suddenly, even with the tightness in their chest.   
" _Yaz_?" they asked, but it was pointless - she was human, and her mind was a brick wall that they couldn't break through. That was what had been the issue for so long now, reaching out so desperately to something that just - couldn't respond...

"I'm a friend. I promise." Yaz was insisting, and she was so close, and she was going to touch them and the thought of her touching hard scales and monstrous body and - they growled, unintentionally, flashing their fangs. She took a quick-step back, the guilt curdling in their chest. Shouldn't be acting like that. What had the Doctor said? Monsters acted like monsters...  
" _Doctor_!" Jet's head jerked up, turning in the direction of the footsteps. Yaz had clearly heard her, too, turning as she was, face lighting up at the sight of the other. She rounded the corner, coat flaring out behind her, already smiling.

"Yaz!"   
"Doctor, what the hell happened t'you?" she demanded, "You were meant to have that machine thing and then - we got cornered."   
"Sorry, Yaz, been a bit busy!" she objected, "I see you've made friends with Jet. Alright, Jet? Know you must be scared right now, but don't worry, s'all gonna be alright!" she looked back at Yaz, still smiling.

Jet moved towards her, almost unintentionally. Her presence almost promised safety. They pushed forward, still hunkered down, head stretching out until they pushed it into her chest. The Doctor turned slightly, caught offguard but wrapping an arm around them as best she could. Jet rumbled lowly, not knowing how they could even qualify it. Yaz had stepped back slightly to give them space, her eyes wide, astonished at the interaction going on between them. Jet kept rumbling, slowly relaxing until they were laying on the ground. She seemed unsure what to do with them, rubbing a hand along the edge of their scaled jaw. 

Jets eyes opened with a jolt. She was touching them. And they felt - okay. She was surprisingly cool, but it was almost nice. Not like they were a - horrendous creature... dragons were rough. They didn't want to hurt her, but sometimes they forgot how fragile other creatures were, not to mention their pressure of panic into a psychically-sensitive mind. The Doctor grimaced just slightly, her head throbbing as it tried to process out the headache instigated by Jet's earlier rough fears.

"It's okay. You're okay." she said, oh so gently. They needed to get Jet to turn back, as quickly as possible, even if just to deal with the slabs. Her eyes flickered over to them, and Yaz met her gaze, clearly thinking the same thing. But the dragon was still trembling just slightly, her hands starting to investigate their features up close. The tiny bristling of spiny points that lined their chin, the large ram horns that curled around, a second set of straight horns. Ridged brow and snout, all in a black deep and iridescent like oilslick.

"I've got you." she said, gently, "It's safe. You didn't do anything wrong." she added. Yaz had moved away, peering at the slabs, poking them with her foot. Most of them had burnt to ash, and the rest of it had become some kind of unpleasant goo.  
"Doctor, what are we gonna do about these?" she asked. The Doctor glanced over, then dug one handed in her pocket, finally pulling out the sonic. A little fiddling, and she pointed it upright - whirring lowly. Seconds passed, the sound of the little device mixing with the dragon's heavy breathing. Soft plips and plaps began, heavy drops falling from the sky now. She tucked it back away, smiling, still running her hands over Jet's cheeks.

"Rain'll wash it away." she seemed unbothered by the droplets hitting her. Yaz popped her hood up, grimacing, moving over again. Her hand hesitated, fascinated, wanting to touch but hanging back. 

"Come on, Jet." she whispered. "You're gonna be fine. But we really should get out of here. Focus on me." she moved down a little, pressing her forehead against their immense head. "Nice deep breaths, there we go. Calm. Focused -"   
She stumbled forward a step. The bulk of the dragon was gone. Head to head with a slender shape instead, realising at the same moment that they were being held.

Their cheeks were immediately flushed red, and the Doctor stepped back at the same time, extricating themselves. Their hand went up, running through their hair, all attitude and cockiness. It was strange, the change in the space. Their pale eyes flickered over to Yaz.  
"Oh. Uh. Sorry if I - scared you."  
She was wide eyed, already coming back down to focus after the spooked moment of seeing that shift.   
"Oh. Don't worry about it." she grinned, "Honest, was more shock than anythin'. We were expectin' the Doctor to show up - or maybe gettin' shot. Havin' a dragon near enough land on top of us weren't on the list." Yaz admitted, lightly.

"Anyway! S'all fine. I'm gonna go - back to the TARDIS. Ryan and Graham okay?"  
"Yeah, yeah, they're by the Tesco." the Doctor responded, only half paying attention. "This is Jet, by the way! Human, dragon, multi-talented." she grinned. "Not sure why yet, still workin' on that bit. But we'll get there." she bounced on her heels.  
"Uh, Doctor?" Yaz said, gesturing vaguely, "I'm gettin' soaked." Jet seemed unbothered like the Doctor was, fiddling with their hair. "So I'm gonna head out. See you there?"

"See ya there." she grinned. Yaz nodded at Jet, who was totally not looking at either of them, then slipped off back to the TARDIS, leaving the pair of them alone.

Jet's stomach growled, and they wavered in place for a moment, rubbing at their eyes. The Doctor's features softened.  
"You've been through a lot, Jet. Y'need to get some rest." she murmured. "Listen. Today isn't a failure. I need you to know that." she pointed out, "Anger at injustice, righteous anger? That's a good thing, I promise. You saved their lives. I owe you." she smiled, and after a moment, stepped in to squeeze Jet into a hug.

They froze for a breath, not sure how to respond to the contact without flirting or - other things. They stood stiffly until she let go, patting them as she bounced back on her heels.  
"It was strange, having you in my head." they said, softly. "Not bad, but - unlike anything I've experienced before."  
"Come knockin' any time you need to, Jet. I mean that." she insisted, hair sticking to her head as the weather rumbled above them. "You go get some rest, okay?"   
Jet nodded, taking a few steps away from her, shoulders slumping.

"I'll see you again." they said, softly, as the Doctor headed off to the entrance of the alley.  
"I'm sure of it." the Doctor responded, voice fading around the corner, and Jet couldn't help but smile.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Scene change, hooray!

  
Time had slipped away, fast and slow at the same time. A few weeks had gone by, and they had tried to forget her. But they couldn't, like before, and now they had put so much time into what she had said, well... their thoughts had pushed into a new territory. That maybe this was right. What they were destined to do. No - destiny was bullshit. But if this was a gift, then they wanted to return it. Still... it had become time to challenge themselves. And if they wanted to get control, they needed to actually want to - change. Every time their mind started to spiral, they pictured the Doctor smiling, promising they weren't a monster...

They were sat on the edge of a rooftop, legs swinging, a backpack sat next to them. The sun had just started to set, and although there was still a chill in the air, it was pleasant enough for them. They smiled, turning their phone slowly in their fingertips, considering just how to phrase what they wanted to say... eventually, they sent a simple message. The address of the building where they were sat, and a simple request - _I'm on the roof. Can you meet me?_

Then... they waited. Eyes on the slowly darkening sky, feet swinging just a little. It was perhaps one of the more terrifying things that they'd done, really, but - if she came or if she didn't, it wouldn't matter. That was what they had to believe. They didn't know where she was, could be halfway across the universe, in fact. But they tried, anyway. New Years Day was so close, now, a frost in the air, and although they didn't really follow these human holidays, the last few days had been so interesting. And perhaps a little lonelier than usual, with the Doctor occupying their thoughts.

To their astonishment - which they would never admit, because they didn't care, right? - they received a message back, not long later.  
_Might want to give me the date and time as well so I don't show up a week late._  
They scoffed, still not quite believing she was able to travel through time, but fired off the response anyway. Short, simple - just the time and date. They stayed sat, feet stilled, staring blankly at the clouds now covering the last few rays of setting sun.

They felt - calm. Weirdly calm, actually, considering just what they were facing down, now. This was the highest building they'd been able to get to, a fair height, and the city felt so different. Distant lights sparkled, all the Christmas and New Year decorations, but they had gotten some distance, too. Maybe this was idiocy, but -  
A horrible noise, like a piano being murdered, met their ears. They twisted around, eyes widening as the blue box from before appeared. Fading in and out before it settled into reality. 

Then the door opened, and she strutted towards Jet. They smiled, unable to help themselves. There was a warm bubbling in their chest and - oh, ew, no, they didn't like that, squash it back down, no having an emotion in public - tilting their head just a little.  
"Nice to see you, Doctor." they said, grinning.  
"You alright?" she asked, lightly, before flopping to sit down next to them. Despite her heavy boots, her legs swung rapidly, turning to look over at the city as they'd been looking before.

"Yeah. I'm - good, actually." they turned to look in the same direction. "Did some research. I was thinking about it, y'know, what we talked about ... looked things up about humans. And adrenaline. Y'know that stuff? Happens if you're scared, or excited, or all kinda situation. Dragons - we don't do that. Fight or flight. It's just fight, I mean... " they wrinkled their nose. "Used to be different, apparently, but - anyway." they cleared their throat. "Every time I've changed it's because of adrenaline, yeah?"

She nodded, focusing on Jet now, brows raising as they rambled on. She smiled, gently, letting them talk.  
"Oh, yeah, adrenaline's a really powerful hormone, especially for humans. Actually, there were this one time - doesn't matter, not important. Give me your theory?" she asked, brows raising.

They glanced at her, then away, smiling tightly - tense jaw. They cleared their throat, knowing the scary part was coming.  
"So if I want to - y'know, get control of this. I gotta do that. Control the adrenaline, control my shifts, control my life... give myself a shock. And then all I have to do is work out changing back, right?" they could feel her starting to frown, brows drawing in. But still they wouldn't look at her.  
"Well, it's one theory," she said, slowly, but - "Oh. Wait. No. No, no, Jet, not a chance -" she was already scrabbling, "You're not going to jump. What if it doesn't work? I'm not going to lose you like this!" 

They shrugged. Didn't matter, really. What loss would it be?  
"It'll work." they pushed more conviction into their voice than they truly felt, getting to their own feet, looking across at her and regretting it. They could see the nerves jumping, muscles tensing, wanting to grab and keep them upright but not knowing what action was the best course to take - "Don't worry. I dived, and I shifted. If I jump, it'll happen again." they took a deep breath. "I just - thought you ought to be here, Doctor."  
"Jet, this is too risky -"  
"This is me making a choice, Doctor."  
"No. This is not a theory you test like this." she reached out, grabbing at Jet's arm, but they took a step backwards, grinning as they balanced on the very edge. 

"I'm choosing to change." they repeated, glancing over the edge, "Hope it's high enough." they added, throat a little tight, perhaps a touch more scared than they woul admit. They shoved their phone into their backpack, then rolled their shoulders, popping their collarbone.  
"Jet." her voice had tightened, low and sincere. "I'm warning you. Don't jump." she was holding gaze like steel with them.

"I'm not going to die." they said, grinning. "Promise. I'll be fine." they were almost balanced on their toes, now. Their back to the edge of the building, feeling the cold air rush past them.  
"Jet -"  
"See ya." and they stepped back, pale fingers grazing the front of their shirt as they plummeted off the edge.


	14. Chapter 14

  
Diving to the edge of the roof, the Doctor found herself on her knees, looking over the edge into the dark street, breathless. No. This couldn't be happening! She wasn't going to see this, she wasn't going to let this happen. Her mind was already going through a dozen, a hundred, a thousand different options in order to save them but no power she had would be enough to prevent the dragon from splattering on the pavement - she wouldn't see another soul snuffed out for her sake.

A great flare of a deeper darkness consumed the world below. Her hearts froze in her chest. The air rumbled, like a thundercrack. The last strands of the setting sun sent a myriad of rainbows across their back as the immense wings beat, straining against air that shouldn't've been able to support such a form. She fell onto her back on the edge, a laugh catching in her throat, unable to help herself as Jet rose slowly up the side of the building, still facing her. The beam shone plenty as the background light was snuffed out, dirty papers and waste blown skittering across the rooftop as those wings worked.

"You're not dead!" she scrambled up to her feet, clapping her hands in a sign of clear joy, bracing herself into the wind. Reaching out, she rested her hand on their nose, before taking a few steps away, back into the safety.   
" _I told you I wouldn't die_." the deep, rumbling voice in her head gave away perhaps a few more nerves than they wanted to admit, but she had no criticisms. The raw joy was also echoing across their connection, so much brighter than all of the fear she had felt before. They seemed so much bigger, even as the light faded, breath fogging in front of them.

" _There's like a whole ham in my bag, can you grab it for me_?" surprisingly delicately they put their paws down on the edge, wings folding, letting the building take their weight. Stepping across the space, they rumbled at her, a noise that sent soft vibrations through the entire concrete roof. She nodded, bouncing over to the fabric and digging inside, finding a wrapped, raw ham. Grimacing ever so slightly, she opened the wrapping, turning and holding it delicately. Like this she was able to appreciate their sheer size, and without fear drilling into her brain, the situation felt utterly different.

"Light snack?" she asked, pausing a moment with the hunk of meat in her hands, not quite sure what to do with it. "I see you've been learning, then." Jet moved closer, their head dipping in, and she threw it up into the air. Surprising control as their long neck darted out, and teeth closed around it, pulling back. Plopping their rear onto the cold concrete, Jet pulled it apart with surprising delicacy before horking down the chunks they ended up with, licking their chops. Leaning in, they huffed hot air at her face, triggering a giggle, before they were laying down.

She paused, considering them, laid out flat in front of her. She felt her eyes widen, mouth forming a perfect little 'o' of astonishment.  
"Jet, y'can't mean -"  
" _Get on._ " they ordered, mirth rolling through their connection. " _Just in front of the wing joint, I don't wanna throw you off_." they added, the mental image of a grey coat spiralling through the air like a fidget spinner on steroids sending her giggling again as she bounced forward. Laying flat, she had to do an awkward crouch, finding her position and wiggling her butt into place.

She turned to look at the last few rays of sunshine disappearing over the horizon, gripping a spine so she didn't fall as Jet got up, entirely unlike anything she'd ever ridden on before, wow. She could feel their pulse, the immense heartbeat; the keel supported her easily enough, and although they weren't so broad that she felt about to pitch off, she was very aware that there were no seatbelts on the dragon. Ah, it didn't matter. This was awesome.

"My hearts are still in my throat from that trick you just pulled." she scolded, running her fingertips down the side of their neck. "Don't you go throwin' me off."  
They laughed, the sound not only in her head but rumbling through the body, a ripple of rumbling vibrations not unlike that contented sound she'd only just heard for the first time. She clung on now they were upright, turning - surprisingly smooth, for their bulk. Backing up. She looked up at the sky, breath caught in her throat, aware of what Jet was about to try.

" _Realised somethin', back there._ " their tone in her head was conversational, as if what was happening in the real world was a mere side thought, " _When I protected your friends_." they inhaled deeply, rear feet kicking as they took off at a powerful run, leaping, bounding. In a matter of seconds they were on the edge of the roof, one kick, a bound into open sky, wings snapping open - leathery creaking, thunder, almost a g-force drive making her weightless as they swept down - really appreciating just how powerful they were.

"Woo!" she threw her hands up in the air like a rollercoaster ride, narrowly missing rolling backwards, just hanging on as she laughed, wind blasting her hair back. They were driving up, each push of their wings, into the icy clouds. She had wanted to do this since she'd been a Scotsman, watching dragon videos with Bill ... more incredible than she could imagine, beam near enough splitting her face in half as the air got thinner.

"Tell me." she called, knowing that she could have responded mentally, but they would have no issue hearing her. The finlike ears twitched, and they canted sideways slowly, wings open wide and flat, now that they had gained some height. Not quite enough to brush the clouds, but she could see them hanging just above. They were careful, not angling too much to let her tumble off, but she leant into the movement, envisioning herself in control.

" _If this is going to happen, I'm gonna have to learn to control it._ " Sheffield looked beautiful from up here, all the New Years and Christmas lights twinkling far below them, buttery squares of flat windows containing family scenes, their breath misting as they moved. "I _f I can control it, then I can do good, right? I just have to, y'know, not get killed._ " they gave another rumbly laugh, but she couldn't help but near enough swell with pride, rubbing the scales on their neck. They turned in a looser circle, beating once or twice but otherwise maintaining the glide, showing her everything that was to be seen from this height. " _I missed this, more than anything. I missed flying_." they admitted. 

"Why deny yourself?" she agreed, resisting the urge to bounce like Tigger, "Wish I could fly. Not that I'm not enjoying this!" she added, "Bloody brilliant, this is," she cheered again, whooping, almost falling, squeezing hard with her knees to stay on. Jet straightened out a little, beating their wings and climbing again, regaining the height they had lost on the glide.  
"It's the least I could do." they murmured, "You helped me, Doctor. And ... I'm not panicking. But I'm still a dragon." they pointed out. "I'm in control."

"Don't laugh," she said, thoughtfully, "But have y'considered that, uh, mindfulness?" she queried. Jet swept back down towards the rooftop, wings flaring out, backdrafting as they landed with precision onto the ledge.   
" _No idea what that is._ " they responded, not without interest. They ducked down as they caught their breath, letting her dismount. She scrambled off, windswept and still exhilarated, putting her hand on their side.   
"Okay, so - it sounds dumb." she grinned, "But go with me here, okay? S'a human technique, good for all sorts of things. 'specially calmin' down a racin' mind and all that." she hopped on heels.

Jet rested down, laying out like a cat, claws resting politely over themselves as they looked at her, calm and steady. It was amazing how gentle they looked, she considered, with all the teeth and horns.   
"Close your eyes." she whispered, reaching out, "Breathe in, nice and deep for me. Really slowly, feel it all in your lungs an' stuff." she grinned. "And then let out it. Focus on me, on my voice. Focus on your body, like, all the parts of it y'can feel. Really focus, feel all of it." she felt them settle rather than seeing it, as they breathed in, cavernous lungs drawing in. 

"Don't get distracted." she added, "S'the thing I find hardest, really. All I do is start thinkin' about where I wanna go next, ooh, like the silicon caves of - yeah." she flushed. "Just focus on breathing, in and out, slow and steady. When you feel content, y'should turn back."  
" _You travel in time_." they murmured, voice lacking it's earlier aggression, the connection more gentle and natural now. Learning how to interact with a psychic link that wasn't draconic.

For her, it was - different. Mindfulness worked less for her species, and when she had to consider how many people wanted her to do it, to face down her flashbacks and traumas and damages. But she was fine! And would continue to be fine, tracking across the universe and shoving all her hurt into a box in a dark corner of her mind. It was for others, not her.   
"Yeah. Time and space, Jet. In my beautiful ghost monument." she smiled. "How do you feel?"   
They turned their head, looking at her big blue box, sat on the roof in the low light, glowing gently. Their wings opened, stretching like a cat, and as they curled back a human Jet sat up on their knees with a grin.

"Hi."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was meant to have art on it but I've been too busy with work so, for now, just enjoy this as it is.


	15. Chapter 15

  
Jet dusted themselves off as they got up to their feet, wavering just a little, despite having consumed that entire ham. The change was still taking a lot of energy, even if they felt better than they had after any of their previous ones. It was definitely a good plan, actually, and there was still a feeling of riding high, after so long resisting the changes. Being able to fly, and share that with her? It was incredible. They retrieved their phone, tugging their backpack on, assuming this was over.

"I realised somethin', too." they glanced around. The Doctor was leaning against the door to the TARDIS, her brows raised as she spoke, "While I've been away, I've been doing everything I can to figure out how I can help you, Jet. Wasn't expecting the message." she grinned. "But I realised something."  
"Yeah?" the elation wasn't going to leave any time soon. They had figured out how to shift - more or less - and now they were going to face life with a fresh determination. And not being scared - well - that was because of her, more or less.

"I've been there before." the words were casual. Jet's head snapped around, laser-focused on the Doctor now. She had a slight grin on her face, clearly doing the best she could to play it cool.   
"What?"  
"Oh, long while back, now. I was Southern then. And a man." she added, wrinkling her nose just slightly. Jet couldn't help but quirk a brow, recoiling a little - astonishment, more than anything else. "Took a nice little holiday there," she continued, "Couple of weeks exploring. And then they tried to burn my TARDIS, so I had to leave." Jet's shoulders fell a little, no defence on their lips, not sure what to say - until she added, "The humans, that is."

"The humans?"  
"Yeah. They tried to burn my ship. Don't think they liked what I was saying." she grinned, playfully, and Jet couldn't help but smile back, an almost excited laugh escaping them. Validation that they were right - dragons weren't the cruel ones. Or rather, they didn't used to be.   
"Everyone says the dragons are wild monsters. But - we aren't." they admitted. "Or we weren't, at least. When I was younger. I mean, even then, but ... " they swallowed hard, mind flickering over images of the elders, of - what became of most of them.

"Oh, no, the dragons were great to me." she said, brightly, and there was a warm feeling in their chest. She reached back, pushing the door of the TARDIS open with one hand, and there was that smile on her lips again. "Y'wanna come in? S'awful cold, now the sun's down." Jet's eyes widened. They had been on the ship before, of course, but it - it felt different, this offer, now. Their throat bobbed. Adjusting their backpack a little, they stepped past her, taking in the ship again. With them feeling so much happier now, it all looked - different. Warmer. So much like - her. The alien bounced past, shutting the door, zooming over to the console.

"So, uh... who did you piss off?" Jet asked, following in a much more sedated way, looking at the knobs and switches. Able to take it in more, now, such incredible complexity. Seeing the different dials made it almost believable that it was a time machine, although their mind still kept insisting she must be lying. "The mages are pretty easy to piss off, really. They hang around the edge of the dragonlands, drawing off power. Parasites. They're pretty nasty, most of them..."

"I can't remember." she admitted, lightly, turning a dial a few clicks. "While back, now, Jet. I just know the dragons treated me fine." she had moved, resting her hips back against the edge of the console, hands back on the rim, smiling at them.   
Something had been sitting in Jet's mind. And although they weren't quite sure - how to bring it up, surely she would know.  
"I just, uh, something has been - I mean - I'm just worried about something." they reached up to fuss wth their hair. "If I lose control when I'm, y'know, in the middle of - of having sex?"

The Doctor froze, her eyes widening just a touch. Jet grimaced, drawing their hand to rub at their neck, sure that if they focused too hard on her they were going to hear the dial-up tone. Whoops. Didn't mean to cause a brain malfunction there. Just about when they were going to change the subject, her mouth opened, stuttering out a few syllables before she got herself moving.  
"Uh, I'm not, not sure there, really," she admitted, "I don't really, y'know, do that. Not much. Haven't at all in this body." 

"You're really gonna have to explain that to me." Jet settled on, letting her move away from the original question. "Are you a shapeshifter? A real one?" they leant towards her, smiling against themselves, wanting to know more. About everything, about her, and this desire to find out more was strange. It bubbled in their chest, some kind of - emotion. Feelings. Crush it down. They didn't let their smile waver. It felt like something around them was cracking, chunks falling away, and facing her down made them so very aware of how much they had been missing. Their world had been missing something. And they didn't want to admit it, but they were... lonely.

"Ah, sorta." the Doctor had continued whilst they'd been having an existential crisis. "When I die, I don't die." she paused, "I change. Every cell in my body burns away and becomes something new. All of me. Still the same memories, same person, but it all changes. New face, new personality." she smiled at them, "This body kinda had a - bit of a fall, so, sometimes memories can end up a bit scrabbled. But it's still me." she grinned. "Any kind of big injury can make it happen."

"Oh, wow." they murmured, leaning back against a crystalline pillar. "That's - wow. I mean, dragons heal up pretty quick," they put their backpack down on the floor. "But we're still very capable of dying. Tough as we are, with - y'know. Fireproof, heatproof, we can do high flying and everything ... water's a challenge." they added. "If our fire goes out, it's hard to survive... but humans, they're so fragile." Jet's thoughts went to how much damage they'd seen on people, how long it would take for them to seem to get better.

"Oh, humans are." the Doctor agreed, and they didn't miss how the lines softened in her face, "They're just a blink in the world. And yet they do so much! They live so much, they love, and they hope, and they achieve more than any other creature I've ever known." the Doctor looked down at the console, a half smile still settled on her lips. "It's why they're so important, to me. I love them. And you're part of them, now," she added, "You don't have to think of yourself as something different, Jet! You made that choice!" 

"Yeah... only I didn't expect it to be this world." their mind wandered to the human settlements that had been on their old world, the - very little they knew, really. Viewed at a distance, believing everything the others had told them about the creatures... maybe things weren't as good as they had envisioned. "Maybe I was actually better as a dragon." they mused, imagining going down the path of all the others in the dragonlands, finding themselves becoming more and more wild and vicious ... "So, uh. What do you do?"

"Oh, me? I travel. Cause trouble." the grin she shot them sent a little tingle through their chest. "My people forbid interference but I find it's what I do best. I find problems and I fix them." she added, now thoughtful, as she tapped at the console. Flicking a few switches, she rolled a dial, setting something... "Yaz said that I was on an eternal gap year! Pretty much right. Except I have reliable travel." she patted the console fondly, "And I do good, rather than do nothing, so maybe the comparison isn't that close ..."  
"Uh, I dunno what a gap year is." Jet interjected, "I haven't learned much, about this world. At all. Really. I just - I focused on surviving." they were realising it as they spoke, eyes widening. "All I do is work and - y'know, drink, try to forget - everything. I wasted so much time." they whispered. "I don't know - I don't know much."

"Hey, that's okay! This world is big," the Doctor smiled, "It's the year that goes between your schooling and then goin' up to uni, or between uni years, sometimes." she was looking at the screen as she input something else. "Something humans do, usually for experiences they wouldn't otherwise have the time or money to do, y'know? Gap years... humans do love coming up with these reasons to live." she tapped something else, looking over at Jet. "Did my exams, ran away. Never stopped. Always running, always looking for something else to stick my nose in." she straightened up and clapped her hands.

"Now it's time to start living, Jet."


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay I forgot to update this for so long I'm really sorry!! Whoops!

  
"Calcium mines of Ryald Thirty-two!" she said, brightly, beaming as she threw switches. The dial was set, the console whirring more and more to life with each lever, button and device. "The calcium grows so densely underground and 'cos of how the planet formed, huge amounts of pressure, it generated miles and miles of crystal-filled tunnels! They're just sitting there in the calcium, ready to be pulled out. And! Because there's so many of them, you're allowed to just take 'em home! It's not like Earth, they encourage it." she lunged across the space, smacking another lever, before straightening and gripping the largest one. "You wanna see it?"

"Yeah!" Jet was just as bright eyed as she was, standing forward, leaning into all the manic energy that was flooding their way. "That sounds - that sounds incredible. On another planet?" they asked, not even thinking of the fact their original home was another planet, technically. The TARDIS began to wheeze and they lurched, hanging onto the edge of the console to not fall over. She was shooting all over the place, as they pitched sideways, Jet digging their heels in to stop themselves crashing into her.   
"Do you know how to fly this thing?!" the words escaped them without thinking.   
"'Course I do!" the hundred-watt smile hadn't faded as she kept moving, lunging to smack a lever, flicking switches.

"Trust me, I've been doing this forever, Jet," she said brightly, as the TARDIS groaned and wheezed. The crystal in the centre rose and fell steadily, working as one, and Jet felt the rumbling deep in their chest. Whoa. This was - so strange, not like they expected. And then - there was a heavy thud. The TARDIS stilled and they caught their feet, straightening, pale eyes looking over to meet excited, wide hazel ones. The Doctor bounced over like Tigger, pausing by the doorway.  
"Y'ready?" she asked, wiggling her brows at them.  
"I can't believe I just travelled. In a spaceshit." Jet breathed, "That's ... that's incredible. Are we there?"

"You tell me." she flung the doors open and stepped back. Jet approached, pausing, eyes wide. The air smelt different. Everything looked - different. They stepped onto ground that felt - oh, the same, weirdly enough. Small bushy plants covered a lot of the ground, but there were chalky tracks left everywhere. The Doctor bounced past them, door swinging shut behind her.  
"Come on! We don't want to be late!" she beamed, tugging Jet along. "Last tour of the day, don't wanna miss it. I bet I can get a really big emerald! Well, not really an emerald, but big and green and - oh! There they are." she tugged again. Jet laughed breathlessly, swept up in the excitement. 

A small cluster of people - no, creatures? - were stood not too far away. The Doctor half skidded down a dusty hill, and they made their way over to the group. Most of them were roughly human in shape, two more - like gasses than anything else. Jet noted with amusement the camera on a strap around one of their - uh, necks? - like any typical tourist. One looked human, another had tusks and clustered of rough skin. Jet was used to a wide array of creatures unlike humans, but after a good year with only them, well, it was hard not to stare. 

"Alright, everyone here?" a fairly small looking - guy? maybe? With a pair of tall, crested ears, was right at the front of the pack, holding a clipboard. They smiled and nodded, turning and setting a steady pace, moving surprisingly fast. The Doctor was babbling Jet's ear off.  
"I hope I find a cool rock. I love gems, gems are great, and these ones have some really cool qualities, you'd like this, they have a special resonating frequency! They used to mine them for power but they've moved on to fully natural power now. I hope I find a cool rock. I got a rock from the seaside in nineteen twenty-four which has a hole in a middle, the tidal forces to make that - but the ocean on this planet used to be really really huge, which is why there's so much calcium ..."

Normally that rambling would be irritating, but Jet liked the sound of her voice and the energy of her excitement. It was making the trip - well, not better, but still. The guide was leading them through steadily bigger scrubs, down a slope. There was the sound of trickling water, throwing shimmering rainbows onto the white-tinted rocks that had been steadily building around them.   
"Wow." Jet breathed, and the Doctor's endless chatting finally stopped.  
"Gorgeous, right?" she said, "Wait until we get inside." the group was leading the way, and they stayed at the back.

The ground had dropped pretty far down, now, and the opening in front of them was immense. The cave opened up, a huge bubble, flooded with natural light. As they stepped through, a warm gold light was starting to filter back to them from the very front of the pack. The ground was now far more chalky, leaving them with a weirdly disconcerting feeling of shifting about with each step, even if they were stable enough.   
"These calcium mines are ancient," the tour guide's voice drifted back, distorted by the echoes.  
"This bit's kinda borin'." the Doctor whispered conspiritationally to Jet. "He always says the same things. And most of it's rubbish."  
"... evidence of our entire civilization starting in the calcium caves, millions of years ago,"  
"Total lie. They just want to make it seem more important than it is."   
Jet chuckled at the Doctor's words, peering at the glittering rocks that were starting to peek through the chalk.

The guide clearly had some kind of light. There was a gap in the rocks ahead, about two shoulder widths wide.   
"You see all the glittery patches, Jet?" she pointed at the ceiling of the cave. "Gemstones, all of them. Most of the ground ones got harvested here, of course, but when we get deeper in they'll be free to help yourselves." she beamed, hopping on her heels.  
She bent down and picked up a rock, "Ooh, and this one? I mean, it's not a gem, but look how smooth it was!"

They were staring at the passage way ahead, the rough cleft in the rocks. The golden light had gone further down, now, and they could see the shimmering, a tight cave beyond with the tour group moving through it. The muffled voice of the guide was no longer properly audible. The Doctor boinged up, moving towards the gap, slipping through it. Jet hesitated. The feeling of the cave tightening around them - the urge to flex their wings, to stretch out - the water dripping was unbelievably loud.  
"Jet? Jet?" the Doctor reappeared, eyes wide, smile faded. "Hey, y'okay? I promise the caves are safe." she said, offering her hand.   
"Caves are not ... not really ... I didn't think, uh..."  
"It's just a thirty minute tour and lots of pretty rocks. Tourism's big around here, Jet, don't worry! You'll be perfectly safe. Thought I'd keep it nice and light for your first proper trip." 

"I'm fine." Jet squared their shoulders, determined to not show her any fear. Already they wanted her to think the best possible of them, throat bobbing. She nodded and led the way, but paused in the doorway again, picking up rocks off the floor. Jet could see the party ahead of them, but they were gaining quite a lot of distance. Ignoring the pressure around them, they kept moving, trying to catch up. All sounds in here felt muffled but overwhelming at the same time. They weren't going to let the overwhelming sensation of being crushed.

"I'm going to skip so many stones." the Doctor's voice was really far behind, and they glanced back.  
"Doctor?" she was crouching, barely a handful of feet from the crack. "Why are you there? Come on, I'm gonna -" they turned, but froze. Jogging forward a dozen steps, they grimaced. "Doctor, I've lost sight of the group." they whispered. "I don't know where they are."

It was dark in here, really dark. Even with their dragon eyes, without that warm glow, they were struggling to see. The Doctor appeared back at their side, scronching her nose.  
"Ah, shouldn't've grabbed that last flat stone. It's gonna be great to skip, though." she mused. "Come on, we'll catch up, don't worry!" she charged off ahead, and Jet took a breath to wonder just how she had so much manic energy, honestly.

They moved through the caves in the almost pitch darkness. They dug around in their pocket, finally pulling out their phone - no signal, of course - flicking on the torch. The shimmering lights of the gems were almost blinding, throwing rainbows across the wall. But they kept moving until they came to a fork, and the Doctor paused, tapping her lip.  
"You've done this tour before, right?"  
"Oh, yeah, half dozen times, at least." she responded. "Admittedly, it's been a few ... uh ... hundred years..." she grimaced. "So they've gone right or left. Thoughts?"  
"Uh. I mean, I try not to think, if I can help it. Hurts my head." the joke came out flat and with a little difficulty, feeling already overwhelmed. The urge to fly fly fly was hammering their head and sure, they could've pushed past it if they'd been listening to a tour but - 

"Alright, let's go left. Always go left in a crisis, that's my advice." the Doctor bounded ahead again, leading them down into the cave. The ground began to slope, only gently, as they kept moving through the chalky caverns, the iridescent patterns continuing to flicker around them. The relatively cool space began to feel a little warmer, Jet turning their head, glancing consistently behind themselves. Out, itched their brain. Get out. Get out now. But they trusted her! They trusted the Doctor, and she seemed totally positive that this was the right way to go. 

And maybe they were imagining that the manic energy was becoming more - wild and uncontrolled. Maybe that was just the anxious part of their brain, because now she had that little metal sonic device out and was scanning a wall.  
"Well, I'm sure the tour was normally done by now, and went up... not down, but it's been a while," she said, "Maybe I'm just forgetting. Let's keep going."  
"Doctor." Jet swallowed hard. "Are you sure? Maybe we should go back -"  
"Nah! There's always more to see, Jet! Off the beaten path. Not that we are off the beaten path, of course, totally following the tour guides." 

The heat was getting oppressive. Sweat ran down their neck; they could see strands sticking to her skin, too.  
"Doctor..." Jet grimaced, "Come on, I -"  
"There's gotta be somethin' interesting down here!" she turned, "Like - oh. Yes!" and she bounded forward, around a corner. Jet followed, uncomfortable, considering how the hell to convince her to - a wall of heat and light made them squint. "Lava! Wow, look at this, we're deeper than I thought ..." the sonic was starting to hiss as the Doctor edged closer, wide-eyed and fascinated.


End file.
